Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 11/16

Game Recap: Chiefs Defeat Broncos, 29-13, Win Third Straight to Improve to 4-5 from The Mothership

The Kansas City Chiefs defense intercepted the Denver Broncos offense 5 times, leading to a 29-13 road victory from Sports Authority Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colo. It was Kansas City's first regular season win against Denver in eight tries.

The Broncos started the game with the ball and on Manning's first pass attempt of the game, Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters intercepted him for his fourth pick of the season. Peters returned the interception to Denver's 31-yard line.

Chiefs vs. Broncos: 10 Observations from The Mothership

3. Marcus Peters intercepts Peyton Manning's first pass attempt

Marcus Peters is quickly becoming a thorn in the side of Peyton Manning, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.

In the Week 2 matchup at Arrowhead, Peters had a pick-six off the future Hall of Famer.

On Sunday, Peters picked off Manning's first passing attempt, which would have broken the NFL's all-time record for career yards passing (Manning needed just 3), but Peters had other plans.

His interception led to a Charcandrick West 4-yard touchdown run.

Peters finished the game with 1 interception and two passes defensed.

KCChiefs.com Videos: Chiefs vs. Broncos: Kansas City Highlights

Chiefs finally topple Manning and Broncos in 29-13 victory from The Kansas City Star

Inside the visitor's tunnel at Sports Authority Field, Jeremy Maclin gathered 10 of his fellow skill players around him.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid signed Maclin this offseason for games like this, and the seven-year vet — who has been through his share of wars in the NFC East during his time with the Eagles — knew exactly what to say to his younger teammates

"Listen up now," Maclin began. "We've got a chance to do something special. Play for each other. Play for yourself. Let's go out here and fun. Our show on three.

"One, two, three ... our show!"

Turns out it was — for the first time in four years against Denver, no less.

Chiefs defense cuts loose against Broncos offense from Chiefs Digest

Houston, one of the Chiefs' clear emotional leaders, had a little extra in his step as he walked around the locker room yelling, "Yeah!"

And he didn't want to savor the moment alone.

"I made sure everybody feels the same way," Houston said. "But we just know this is a stepping stone to get where we want to go."

The excitement is understood when considering the Broncos (7-2) defeated the Chiefs (4-5) seven straight times, including Week 2's stunning defeat when Denver scored 14 points in the final minute, prior to Sunday.

Anchored by the defense, the Chiefs released all the pent up frustration against Denver to the tune of five interceptions and five sacks in a dominating performance.

Chiefs crush Manning, Broncos 29-13 from ESPN

The game was halted after Manning's milestone throw, and Joe Horrigan from the Pro Football Hall of Fame secured the ball.

"I think that's an awkward situation to have any type of stoppage of play, in the middle of a game," Manning said. "I wasn't off to the best start."

Manning surely wanted no mementoes from this game.

Chiefs terrorize Manning, crush Broncos in Denver 29-13 from The Associated Press via FS Kansas City

The fans were almost all gone, and more than an hour after he'd taken his last snap, Peyton Manning stood on the sideline leafing through the pictures of all those plays gone wrong.

The Kansas City Chiefs did all that damage Sunday -- picking off the Denver Broncos quarterback four times, holding him to 35 yards passing and sending him to the bench in the third quarter with a 0.0 passer rating en route to a 29-13 win.

Worst passer rating game of Manning's career, no argument from The Kansas City Star

The entire day was awkward for Manning.

Chiefs blanking Peyton Manning, interceptions headline Week 10 highs from Chiefs Digest

The Chiefs defense as a whole effectively shut down Manning and the rest of the Denver offense. Before the two minute warning in the first half, Manning had plummeted to a 0.0 passer rating. Manning joins his father, Archie Manning, and his brother, Eli Manning, in players who have completed a game with a 0.0 passer rating. The most recent Manning's 0.0 passer rating is the 67th time a player has accomplished the lowly feat.

Manning's former coach, Tony Dungy, took to Twitter halfway through the game, giving his analysis of how he felt Manning looked.

Chiefs suddenly believe anything is possible, and they just may be right from ESPN

But this was not just the typical giddiness of a winning team, the kind that disappears long before the next game kicks off. The Chiefs truly believe there's nothing out of their reach anymore, a seemingly odd stance for a 4-5 team.

Indeed, some things are out of the Chiefs' reach. They won't win the AFC West championship. Their five-game, early-season losing streak took care of that.

As far as the rest of the picture, the Chiefs have to be taken seriously, or as seriously as a team with a losing record can be, after their 29-13 win over the Broncos.

Chiefs defense was pickin' and grinnin' in win over Denver from The Kansas City Star

The interception parade started with rookie cornerback Marcus Peters stepping in front of a deep middle throw to Vernon Davis on the game's third play. The Chiefs finished that possession with a touchdown.

The ball-hawking never stopped. Sean Smith was next with a juggling grab, in the second quarter.

Then linebacker Josh Mauga got one midway through the second quarter. Both led to Cairo Santos' field goals.

At halftime, Manning had completed four passes and thrown three picks.

Parker's came next, and Eric Berry finished the haul with a fourth-quarter interception off a deflected pass in the end zone, thrown by reserve quarterback Brock Osweiler.

Chiefs shock Peyton Manning, Broncos with dominating 29-13 victory from Chiefs Digest

It was a single victory on one day in the 2015 NFL season. No trophy was awarded and there was not a ticket punched for the AFC playoffs.

But the outcome was momentous for a Chiefs team that has been dwarfed for decades in the AFC West by the Broncos.

"Any time you can come up here and get a win against a good team like they have, you are going to enjoy it," coach Andy Reid said. "Defense, defense, defense. They did a tremendous job."

Rookie CB Marcus Peters sets the tone in Chiefs' big victory from ESPN

One reason to get excited: The Chiefs have more than one reason, but they have now outscored their opponents 74-23 over the last two games.

One reason to panic: After scoring a touchdown on their opening possession, the Chiefs went well into the fourth quarter before they scored another one. They had to settle for five field goals.

Justin Houston has a theory about the Chiefs you'll want to hear, after they took advantage of very bad Peyton Manning from The Kansas City Star

So, the question to Houston was about beating the Broncos. After all this time. Houston was a rookie the last time the Chiefs did this. He had a wide smile on his face. The question, admittedly, was fairly obvious: does losing so many times to these guys over the years make this win feel better?

"I think it was more from the first game," Houston said of the Chiefs' blowing a late lead against the Broncos at home. "We know the first game wasn't supposed to happen like that. To lose the way we did, it hurt. I think it kind of messed with our momentum. I think we're back on track now. We just gotta stay with it."

Sometimes the dumb question gets a smart answer. Here, Houston is admitting something you don't often hear. Losing to the Broncos back in September rocked the team in a way that directly contributed to losing five games in a row.

Notebook: Chiefs' Andy Reid maintains faith in RB Knile Davis from Chiefs Digest

But coach Andy Reid emphasized after the game he hasn't lost faith in the third-year pro.

"That's not what it is at all," Reid said. "We're trying to boost our special teams a little bit."

With Davis not dressing, defensive back Saalim Hakim, who was elevated from the practice squad earlier in the week, took the spot on the gameday roster and contributed on special teams.

"We needed some speed, we felt, on the outside there," Reid said of Hakim. "He was able to give us that and he actually had a couple of nice plays.

Marcus Peters up, Jah Reid down in Chiefs victory from ESPN

DOWN

OT Jah Reid: He had an unnecessary roughness penalty in the second quarter that killed a promising drive.

Chiefs' Smith to West for that 80-yard passing TD? Yeah, it set some career marks from The Kansas City Star

Smith was on the right side of midfield, slanted toward the left and turned on the afterburner. He raced past the last Broncos player with a chance to stop him, safety T.J. Ward, and into the end zone to complete an 80-yard play.

West's career is eight games, so it was no surprise that this was his longest play.

But Smith had never completed a pass longer than 75 yards in his 10 seasons. That's nearly 2,100 completions.

"Coach (Andy) Reid called a great play," West said. "Offensive line did their job and I just did the rest."

View from Denver: Broncos have two choices at QB, neither good from The Denver Post via The Kansas City Star

The Broncos have two choices, and both stink.

1) Admit quarterback Peyton Manning is too hurt to help the Broncos win and bench him until his aching ribs, sore foot and broken-down, 39-year-old body heals.

2) Fight back the sentimental tears, tell a Hall of Fame quarterback he is washed up and have Brock Osweiler take Manning's place in the starting lineup.

"Peyton is our quarterback," Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said Sunday, after the Kansas City Chiefs beat Denver 29-13 and chased Manning to the bench. "If he's healthy and ready to go, Peyton's our quarterback."

Please pardon my lack of respect for Manning, but that's crazy, stupid talk from Kubiak.

The Late Show from MMQB

3. Peyton Manning passed Brett Favre for most passing yards in history on a nondescript four-yard out route to Ronnie Hillman. The game was stopped. Manning gave the most uncomfortable waves to the crowd in NFL history. He knew what was coming, and it wasn't good...

...5. Peyton Manning's nine drives on the worst day of his NFL career: Interception, three-and-out, three-and-out, interception, three-and-out, interception, three-and-out, three-and-out, interception. Yanked. Yes, Peyton Manning removed from a game; coach's decision. Final: Chiefs 29, Broncos 13.

Broncos' defense loses its footing in loss to Chiefs from The Denver Post

Frustration boiled over. Game after game through Week 10, the NFL's No. 1 defense in sacks and yards allowed bailed their offense out — but Sunday, there wasn't a game to be saved. The Chiefs were too far in front.

"It was tough. It's frustrating," linebacker Brandon Marshall said. "I thought we played pretty good, we gave up mostly field goals until that touchdown at the end."

The Broncos defense was on the field for 21 minutes and 10 seconds of the first half.

They never had a lead to protect. Losers of two in a row, they'll have to swallow the agony of defeat just as much as their offensive counterparts.

T.J. Ward says boiled over frustration led to punch, ejection vs. Kansas City from The Denver Post

"They were a pretty dirty team — the O-linemen, receivers and tight ends," Ward said. "They were doing it last game and they continued to do it this game. It took an effect on me."

Several Broncos on the defensive side agreed, including end Malik Jackson.

"They were dirty," Jackson said. "If we see them again, there's no ‘Watch it.'"

Paige: Despite record, Peyton Manning strikes out from The Denver Post

"Dad, is it over for Peyton?"

The father put his arm around the son's shoulders, shook his head and said: "I don't know, son. I don't know."

Almost an hour later, Peyton Manning, his back against the wall of the locker room, shook his head, as if he didn't know, either.

Upstairs in the press box a couple hours earlier, Joe Horrigan, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's historian, clutched a bag with a precious football inside. He shook his head, too. The football could have signified two National Football League career records — most passing yards and most regular-season victories.

On what seemed as if it would be a celebratory day for Manning, the Broncos, the league, Canton, Ohio, and Denver fathers and sons, only the Kansas City Chiefs were in a festive mood.

Ejected Broncos S T.J. Ward calls Chiefs 'dirty' from USA Today

That explanation likely won't carry much weight with his coaches, who spent plenty of time last week preaching about the need to play smarter and eliminate what head coach Gary Kubiak describes as "selfish" penalties. The Broncos defense led the NFL in personal fouls heading into Week 10 with 16...

...Ward missed the Broncos' season opener in September while serving a one-game suspension for a violation of the personal conduct policy, stemming from an arrest in May 2014.

T.J. Ward ejected for punch, worries about suspension from ProFootballTalk

Ward said he's concerned about a potential suspension — and for good reason. The league office tends to be more inclined to suspend for gratuitous acts of violence. (Except when Pacman Jones removes Amari Cooper's helmet and slams Cooper's head into it.)

If Ward is going to be suspended, a preliminary decision would likely come Monday. Any appeal hearing would happen Tuesday, with a ruling likely that same day.

Chiefs creep back into discussion with 3-game win streak from ProFootballTalk

Stranger things have happened. Hot teams have proven capable of overcoming slow starts, too.

The Chiefs are playing good defense and have found a more than capable running back in Charcandrick West, who accounted for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns Sunday. It's not an offense that wants to have to throw for 400 yards or come from two scores down, but the defense hasn't given up more than 16 points in a game in a month and the Chiefs have a positive turnover ratio for the season after their last two games.