KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Bo Nix ran for a rating earlier than throwing a go-ahead landing go to R.J. Harvey with 1:45 left within the recreation, and the Denver Broncos held on within the closing seconds for a 20-13 victory over the banged-up Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Thursday evening.
Nix completed with 182 yards passing because the Broncos (13-3) bounced again from final week’s disheartening loss to Jacksonville and took one other huge step towards the AFC West title and maybe the No. 1 seed and first-round playoff bye.
The Broncos can clinch the division on Saturday if the Chargers lose their recreation in opposition to Houston.
Third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun and tight finish Travis Kelce gave Kansas Metropolis an opportunity, driving shortly downfield after the Broncos had taken the lead. However a third-down go on the Denver 26 was simply out of Kelce’s attain, and Oladokun overthrew Marquise Brown ultimately zone on fourth down within the remaining seconds.
The Chiefs (6-10) have been lacking Patrick Mahomes and backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, each of whom tore ligaments of their knees in back-to-back weeks, and have been left to look at the sport collectively from a set. In addition they have been lacking Rashee Rice and a number of other gamers on each side of the ball that had been so essential to their three straight Tremendous Bowl journeys.
Oladokun wound up with 66 yards passing. Kelce had 5 catches for 36 of these yards in what might need been the final recreation performed by the Professional Bowl tight finish at Arrowhead Stadium — he plans to announce quickly after the season whether or not he’s retiring.
The Broncos have been almost two-touchdown favorites, in accordance with BetMGM, but the Chiefs might have been impressed by listening to in regards to the Vikings, who earlier within the day knocked off the favored Lions behind their protection and their very own third-string quarterback.
After giving up a grinding, 14-play drive that soaked up greater than half the primary quarter and internet the Broncos a area purpose, Kansas Metropolis allowed little else by means of the primary half-hour. And alongside the way in which, a protection put its high two cornerbacks on injured reserve this week managed to select off Nix, establishing a brief area that Oladokun transformed into his first profession landing throw.
It additionally occurred to be Brashard Smith’s first profession landing catch.
The Broncos tried to reply with one other eight-plus-minute drive late within the half, however Courtland Sutton dropped a would-be landing toss within the closing seconds, and Wil Lutz needed to kick his second chip-shot area purpose to make it 7-6 on the break.
Denver lastly bought one in every of its lengthy, time-consuming drives into the top zone within the third quarter. The Chiefs had pushed the result in 10-6 when the Broncos churned by means of 72 yards in almost 10 minutes, and Nix completed by scrambling 9 yards for the rating.
However the lack of ability of the Kansas Metropolis offense to do a lot of something was its undoing.
The Chiefs managed simply 16 yards on their first three possessions of the second half, and that gave the Broncos an opportunity. They drove 65 yards late within the fourth quarter, twice changing on third down after which getting a fourth-down reward when Chris Jones went early contained in the 10-yard line, permitting Nix to seek out Harvey at the back of the top zone on third-and-goal for the eventual profitable rating.
Broncos: C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) was positioned on injured reserve earlier within the day.
Chiefs: WR Nikko Remigio (knee) was positioned on IR. OL Jaylon Moore (knee) and DT Derrick Nnadi (sickness) have been inactive.
Denver wraps up the common season subsequent week in opposition to the Chargers.
Kansas Metropolis finishes its season subsequent week in Las Vegas.
