Chiefs put pressure on Titans for home field advantage with a thrilling win over Denver, 28-24
With home advantage on the line, the Chiefs needed to put the Broncos of their misery on Saturday and hope that the luck of the Irish was on their side with a Titans' loss on Sunday..Kansas City had a couple of hiccups a bit early in the first. Patrick Mahomes was very lucky that the Broncos did not pick him off or recover a potential fumble. Despite some minor mistakes, Mahomes hooked up with Travis Kelce for a one-yard touchdown.
Well, the Chiefs had some big problems with their special teams in one series. Their place kicker slipped and fell prior to kicking the ball off after the touchdown score, which gave the Broncos some good field to work with. After forcing a three and out, the Chiefs attempted to block the punt, which did not go well for them. One of the Chiefs hit the kicker's plant leg, which gave the Broncos life. A couple of plays later, Denver found the endzone to tie up the game..
Missed tackles and playing too aggressive hurt the Chiefs. They allowed a touchdown prior to the half.Kansas City walked into the half down 14-10.
Something was said in the Chiefs' locker room, because they came out the gate in the second half playing angry. Mahomes looked like a running back, sprinting and shaking players out of their cleats. Kansas City scored a touchdown at the nine minute mark of the third to regain the lead, 17-14. After the touchdown, the defense started to put more pressure on Drew Lock, but their over aggressiveness cost them. The Chiefs blitzed Lock on a second and short and was burned by a 47- yard run to the crib by Melvin Gordon III. Who would have thought the Broncos would fight to spoil the Chiefs' day?
The Chiefs tacked on a field goal cut it a one point game at the start of the fourth. They say defense wins games, well Kansas City recovered a fumble, when it look like the Broncos was going to score a touchdown. Nick Bolton rumbled for a 86-yard touchdown special and Mahomes finished the drive with a successful two-point conversion to retake the lead 28-21. After the score, the defense forced the Broncos to kick a field goal to make it 28-24.
Kansas City stomped on the heart of the Broncos with a couple of big runs up the gut of their defense and ran out the clock. With a victory over the Broncos, the Chiefs needed the Titans to lose on Sunday to gain home field advantage in the AFC.
