Final Score: Chiefs play their worst game of season; still easily handle Broncos, 19-8

What in the world is this team anymore?

All season long, the Denver Broncos defense has been completely trash in every category. They finally show up against the hated Kansas City Chiefs and kept Patrick Mahomes and that offense out of the end zone on multiple trips inside the 10-yard line. So how does the offense respond? With a turnover on downs, interception, punt, punt, punt, punt, and another interception before they could even find their way into a score.

While the defense appears to have done well, one could argue that the Chiefs offense got cute and put themselves in bad situations more than Denver’s defense did. But they held the Chiefs under 20 points and that should be all you can ask for against a team like that.

It was the offense that lost this game. So there you go. 1-5 for Denver and looking strong to content for that number one overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which at this point they clearly need to go all in on a new quarterback and start over from scratch.

First Quarter

The Broncos came out in the game with a great rushing attack in the first quarter, but any time they tried to throw the ball disaster seemed to be in play. The ugly passing game led to a predictable zero points in the first quarter.

However, despite the Chiefs being able to move the ball they only ended up with a field goal despite the yardage. Their second drive ended in a very sloppy throwaway attempt by Patrick Mahomes that was intercepted by Justin Simmons. All said, the first quarter was the best outcome for Denver after their offensive issues early.

Chiefs 3, Broncos 0.

Second Quarter

The Chiefs seemed intent on keep the game close early on. After being stopped inside the 10 they lined up for a field goal, only to run a fake. Denver was ready for it and stuffed the run short to keep the score 3-0 well into the second quarter.

The cuteness dissipated after that and the real Chiefs offense came out on their next drive. Travis Kelce seemed to always be open and closed the half over the 100 yard mark, while Isiah Pacheco gashed the Broncos whenever he touched the ball. It took four red zone trips for the Chiefs to finally put up a touchdown, but they were able to just that to go up 10-0 late in the second quarter. They would add another three points at halftime on a 60-yard field goal from Harrison Butker.

Russell Wilson just looked lost out there in the first half. Without a passing game, the Broncos offensive capabilities collapsed. They averaged 5.4 yards per rush, but just 1.1 yards per pass. It was absolutely pathetic.

Somehow the Broncos went into halftime down just 13-points. It certainly felt like they should have been down by at least three touchdowns with how poorly the offense had played.

Chiefs 13, Broncos 0.

Third Quarter

The Chiefs looked like they would stop messing around on offense and blow the game wide open for good, but the Broncos defense again came up with a red zone stop inside the 10-yard line to keep the score 16-0. However, the game was clearly slipping away at this point.

On Denver’s first second half drive, they actually came alive and drove down the field with some relative efficiency. However, as soon as they got into field goal range a Russell Wilson pass was tipped up into the air and intercepted to end that.

The third quarter would end with the Broncos pinned deep inside their own 10 yard line. Their hopes for this game would already slipping away at this points.

Chiefs 16, Broncos 10.

Fourth Quarter

With the Broncos offense completely inept and failing on every drive, the outcome of the game merely one of where the final score would end up to send the Chiefs to 5-1. Once again, the Broncos offense did nothing with any of their drives.

This miserable offensive output didn’t subside until later in the fourth quarter when the Broncos finally got a drive together. It was helped along by a rather light roughing the passer call, but Wilson took advantage on a pass to Courtland Sutton in the end zone. Sutton made a phenomenal catch. After the Broncos converted the two-point attempt, Denver was still down just one score, 16-8.

The Chiefs stopped messing around and ate up some clock on their next drive. After getting into field goal range, they ground the clock up and kicked a field goal to secure the game-deciding points and the 19-8 win.

Chiefs 19, Broncos 8.