Denver 28, Kansas City 24: Broncos seize AFC West lead after fourth-quarter surge
Patrick Mahomes threw for 321 yards and three scores, but Denver tied the division with two late touchdowns and a final goal-line stand.
By Alexei Petit ·
The Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 on Sunday afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High, seizing a half-game lead in the AFC West standings. Denver erased a 24-13 deficit in the fourth quarter with two touchdown drives and a defensive stop in the closing moments.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished with 321 passing yards and three touchdown passes for Kansas City. Wide receiver Rashee Rice caught an 11-yard score with 6:04 left in the first half, marking Mahomes' first touchdown throw in nearly a month. Rookie running back Emmett Johnson contributed 119 receiving yards, including a 73-yard touchdown, despite not carrying the ball in the first half. Harrison Butker added a 45-yard field goal just before halftime to give the Chiefs a 17-13 lead.
The game featured several coaching adjustments that affected the flow of play. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid started Mike Caliendo at left guard instead of Kingsley Suamataia for the second time this season. Reid previously cited disciplinary reasons for the Week 4 benching against the Raiders, a matter he said remained private between him and the lineman. With Kansas City leading 24-13 and 13 minutes remaining, Reid chose to punt on fourth and inches. The Broncos advanced on the next four plays and scored a touchdown followed by a two-point conversion, cutting the margin to three points.
Butker remained perfect on extra points and converted the 45-yard field goal in the second quarter. However, he missed a 54-yard attempt in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, continuing a pattern of misses from 50 yards and beyond. The Broncos' final drive concluded the scoring, and Kansas City's last stand on the goal line ended the game.
The victory leaves Denver with a half-game advantage over Kansas City in the division. The Chiefs have 10 games remaining in their 2026 regular season schedule.
Kansas City returns home next Sunday at noon for an AFC matchup against the New York Jets, who currently hold a 2-6 record.
Source: KCTV5
