Here are four areas that stood out in Chiefs' loss to Broncos
Chiefs fall to 5-5 on the season
The Chiefs and Broncos were involved in a defensive slugfest in Week 11 action.
But too many mistakes by the Chiefs contributed to the Broncos winning the game, 22-19, on kicker Wil Lutz’s walk-off 35-yard field goal as time expired.
To say that the Chiefs’ performance was a disappointment would be an understatement.
Kansas City was coming off a loss before last week’s bye, and it was realistic to believe the Chiefs were locked in for a game against their divisional rival.
The offense, however, didn’t look right and converted just 5-of-13 chances on third downs (38%).
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes also threw an interception with the Chiefs marching deep into the Broncos’ territory. Mahomes finished the game completing 29-of-45 passes for 276 yards and a touchdown with an interception for a 79.5 passer rating, adding 3 yards on one carry.
Forty-five passes, which was a season-high total for Mahomes, is not a typo.
The Chiefs threw it 45 times compared to 14 rushes in what was a close game. Kareem Hunt finished the game with 13 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Chiefs played solid football until they didn’t.
With the game tied at 19-19 and Denver facing a third-and-15 situation at its own 21-yard line just before the 2-minute warning, quarterback Bo Nix found wide receiver Courtland Sutton for a 20-yard gain down the right side of the field.
Nix also found wide receiver Troy Franklin for a 32-yard gain on the same drive to move Denver to the Chiefs’ 15-yard line with less than a minute to go in regulation. Lutz booted the game-winning field goal two plays later.
Sunday’s loss dropped the Chiefs to 5-5 (1-2 in the AFC West) this season, and 3.5 games behind the Broncos (9-2) and two games behind the Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) in the division.
Here are four areas that stood out in Sunday’s loss:
SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS
The Chiefs had an ominous first half with seven penalties in first half for 49 yards before finishing the contest with 10 penalties for 69 yards.
While the Chiefs settled down in the second half, the first-half infractions came at inopportune times, including a holding penalty against wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster with the Chiefs deep inside Broncos’ territory.
The Chiefs got lucky to start the second half when a Broncos’ pick-6 came back because of Denver cornerback Riley Moss’ illegal contact infraction.
Mahomes, though, gave it back to the Broncos a few plays later as the Chiefs were deep in Denver territory with a chance to take the lead. Facing a third-and-14, Mahomes lofted a pass intended for running back Elijah Mitchell, but Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian picked it off at the 5-yard line.
The wounds extended to special teams, where the Broncos blocked Harrison Butker’s extra-point attempt after the Chiefs took the lead 19-16.
The overall sloppiness contributed to the loss.
STOUT DEFENSE
It would be difficult to blame the defense for this loss.
The Chiefs were in the game largely in part because of the defense, which set the tone early.
The Broncos had a chance with their first two possessions of the contest to punish the Chiefs.
Both possessions saw the Broncos get inside the 10-yard line, but the Chiefs turned them back on third-down situations to force field goals.
On the first Broncos’ possession, defensive tackle Chris Jones came up big with a sack as Denver faced a third-and-3 at the Chiefs’ 5-yard line.
Denver’s second possession started at the Chiefs’ 11-yard line. The Broncos got there on Marvin Mims’ 70-yard punt return, and yardage was tacked on because of a 10-yard penalty on Chiefs rookie cornerback Kevin Knowles.
Linebacker Leo Chenal, however, knocked down Nix’s pass with Denver facing third-and-4 at the Chiefs’ 5-yard line.
Those plays contributed to the defensive mentality seen throughout the game until Denver’s final possession.
DEC. 25 PRESENT?
The Chiefs might have found something to exploit against the Broncos the next time these two teams meet on Christmas Day.
And his name is cornerback Riley Moss, who had a game to forget.
Moss was penalized twice deep down the field for pass interference, which resulted in penalties of 40 yards and 47 yards, respectively. He was also penalized for illegal contact, which negated a pick-6.
Moss helped bail out the Chiefs on second-and-14 and third-and-20 situations with his pass interference penalties, which resulted in 10 points for Kansas City.
So, the lesson here for the second meeting this season?
When facing a less-than-ideal yardage situation, all Mahomes needs to do is find wherever Moss is on the field and throw it in that direction.
OL’ RELIABLE
Don’t overlook this accomplishment because of the loss.
The Chiefs’ offense knows what to do when all else fails: Find tight end Travis Kelce.
Mahomes found Kelce for a short completion, and then he broke a tackle before outrunning at least four defenders to get in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown to give the Chiefs their only lead of the game.
The play marked Kelce’s 84th touchdown, the most in Chiefs history.
Kelce, one of the NFL’s all-time greats at the tight end position, finished the game with nine catches for 91 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets.
