Win over the Chiefs just the jolt of confidence Broncos need

It’s been a long time. A carousel of awful quarterbacks, incompetent coaches, an inability to put an effective offense together with a dominant defense. Pepper in a litany of sloppy, penalty-ridden play, and add a dash of lethargy, these Broncos had the world believing that they couldn’t hang and couldn’t play.

On Sunday, the Denver Broncos stunned everyone, including themselves, by putting together the best game of football the Mile High City has seen in years.

Maybe this team, the one that started 0-3 to start the season, isn’t the worst we have ever seen. Credit where credit is due, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has made adjustments and pulled this defense together. The hapless band of doofuses (doofi?) that allowed Miami to score 70 held the defending Super Bowl Champs and the league MVP to just 9-points.

Coach Sean Payton finally embraced the running attack that, in the preseason, he claimed was going to be the focus of the offense. Jaleel McLaughlin and Javonte Williams appear to be the answer to stagnant and unimaginative offensive schemes. While it’s still frustrating that Russell Wilson’s passes rarely connect with receivers past the line of scrimmage, it’s hard to complain when a decisive victory like the one on Sunday is in the offing.

That win on Sunday made the gauntlet of teams the Broncos must face to complete the season less daunting. Teams that looked unstoppable early in the season like the Bills, who just lost to the Patriots, are looking human. Injuries have hobbled quarterbacks for the Vikings and Browns. Add in the Chargers that Denver still has to play twice and the season finale in Las Vegas against the Raiders...

Holy crud, the Broncos could make a run. Could this be the first time in years that there is interesting football being played in Denver in December?

Let’s hope so.

HORSE TRACKS

Denver Broncos Brutally Troll Travis Kelce After Beating Kansas City Chiefs | HuffPost Sports
Kelce and his squad lost without Taylor Swift in attendance, and the Denver hosts reminded them in postgame mockery.

Denver Broncos Brutally Troll Travis Kelce After Beating Kansas City Chiefs
Kelce and his squad lost without Taylor Swift in attendance, and the Denver hosts reminded them in postgame mockery.

Patrick Mahomes: Broncos have stifled our offense, other teams will try to replicate that - NBC Sports
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' offense struggled against the Broncos' defense in a win in Week Six, and struggled even more against the Broncos in a loss on Sunday.

‘I think it makes us believers’: How the Broncos’ win over the Chiefs could spark a second-half run
"It’s starting to come together, and we’ve just got to keep getting better from it," tackle Mike McGlinchey said.

‘This is the best game we’ve played this season’: Broncos’ opportunistic defense shuts down Kansas City in 24-9 victory
Denver recorded five takeaways and didn’t allow the Chiefs’ offense to reach the end zone.

Cover 4: Broncos snap streak vs. Chiefs, ride dominant defensive performance to 24-9 win
These are the players and plays that led to the Broncos' Week 8 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City Chiefs suffer sickening loss to the Broncos in Denver
Updates, highlights, and post-game press conferences from the Chiefs second AFC West bout of 2023

Denver Broncos rejoice with Denver fans after snapping 16-game losing streak vs. Kansas City Chiefs
The Denver Broncos rejoice with their fans after snapping a 16-game losing streak vs. the Kansas City Chiefs.

Broncos get first big win with Sean Payton, snap 16-game losing streak to Chiefs
The Chiefs were careless with the ball in a rare loss to the Broncos.

Russell Wilson: This win means a lot - NBC Sports
The Broncos provided one of the most unexpected results of Week Eight when they thumped the Chiefs 24-9 at home on Sunday.

Patrick Mahomes: Broncos have stifled our offense, other teams will try to replicate that - NBC Sports
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' offense struggled against the Broncos' defense in a win in Week Six, and struggled even more against the Broncos in a loss on Sunday.

Broncos stun Chiefs: Denver slows Patrick Mahomes in Week 8 for first win over K.C. in last 17 meetings - CBSSports.com
After giving up 70 points to the Dolphins, the Broncos held the Chiefs to 9

Broncos end 16-game drought vs. Chiefs dating to 2015 season - ESPN
The Broncos are relieved to have ended their 16-game losing streak to the Chiefs that dates to the 2015 season. Said Justin Simmons: "Just feels good to win."

Broncos halt 16-game losing streak to Chiefs | Denver Broncos | denvergazette.com
The Broncos shook off eight years of frustration and ended the 16-game skid against Kansas City with a resounding 24-9 win on a cold day at Empower Field at Mile High.

Broncos get first big win with Sean Payton, snap 16-game losing streak to Chiefs
The Chiefs were careless with the ball in a rare loss to the Broncos.

Sunday Night Football: Austin Ekeler, Justin Herbert lead Chargers to 30-13 victory - NBC Sports
Ekeler tallied 123 yards from scrimmage and Herbert threw three TDs in the win over Chicago.

Bill Belichick on Mac Jones continuing to start: "We all need to play better" - NBC Sports
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was asked once again after Sunday's loss to the Dolphins whether he will stick with Mac Jones as his starting quarterback.

Jalen Ramsey: It was about proving Dolphins right on Sunday - NBC Sports
When Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey hurt his knee this summer, there were reports that he'd be out of action until December but those proved to be incorrect.

2024 NFL Draft order: Bears, Cardinals in battle for No. 1; Giants' improbable collapse lifts them into top 4 - CBSSports.com
The Bears are in an early position to draft Nos. 1 and 3 overall

Cowboys' blowout win over Rams ends with final score that's never been seen before in NFL history - CBSSports.com
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a scorigami!

2023 NFL Week 8 injury roundup: Kirk Cousins, Matthew Stafford, Darren Waller among big names hurt - CBSSports.com
All the notable names to go down this weekend

Kirk Cousins suffers Achilles injury: 12 veteran QB options for Vikings ahead of 2023 NFL trade deadline - CBSSports.com
Veterans who could help Minnesota down the stretch

Rams QB Matthew Stafford leaves loss to Cowboys with thumb injury
Rams QB Matthew Stafford left Sunday's loss in the second half with a thumb injury.

Most impactful agents of chaos -- good and bad -- in muddled NFC
The NFC picture has become quite muddled thanks to some agents of chaos -- both good and bad. Judy Battista breaks down the conference following a wild Week 8.

2023 NFL season, Week 8: What We Learned from Sunday's games
Around The NFL breaks down what you need to know from all of Sunday's Week 8 action.

QB Joshua Dobbs to start for Cardinals again in Week 9 - ESPN
The Cardinals will stick with Joshua Dobbs as their starting quarterback next weekend in Cleveland, coach Jonathan Gannon said on Sunday.

Dolphins' Tyreek Hill over halfway to 2K-yard goal in 8 games - ESPN
Tyreek Hill eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards during Sunday's 31-17 victory over the Patriots, becoming the first player to do so this season.

Titans rookie Will Levis throws 4 TD passes in first start - ESPN
Titans rookie Will Levis joined Fran Tarkenton and Marcus Mariota as the only NFL quarterbacks to throw four touchdowns in their first career game.

Bengals relish snapping 49ers' 11-game home win streak - ESPN
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said the Niners' 11-game home win streak heading into Week 8 helped motivate his surging team to secure the road win.

Steelers WR Diontae Johnson rips officials after loss to Jaguars - ESPN
Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson sounded off on the officiating after Pittsburgh's loss to the Jaguars.

Kyle Shanahan - Answers for sliding 49ers already on team - ESPN
Kyle Shanahan said a Christian McCaffrey-like trade will not save the Niners like it did last season and that the solutions to their recent struggles are already in the building.

Source -- QB Kirk Cousins tears right Achilles in Vikings' victory - ESPN
Kirk Cousins left the Vikings' 24-10 win over the Packers in the 2nd half, with a source telling ESPN's Adam Schefter that the veteran quarterback has a torn Achilles.