Chiefs defeat the Broncos 30-6: complete game summary

On a night headlined by a knee injury to Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos 30-6 behind a rejuvenated Chiefs defense.

OFFENSE

First half

• First drive: The Chiefs started the game with two runs from running back LeSean McCoy for 29 yards. They faced their first third down of the game shortly after, and converted with a 13-yard pass to tight end Travis Kelce. On the next third down they faced, quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed a 21-yard pass to wide receiver Mecole Hardman for a touchdown. Chiefs 7 Broncos 6
• Second drive: The Chiefs started the drive with a run from McCoy for no gain. An incomplete pass followed by a short pass led to a three-and-out which forced them to take a field goal. Chiefs 10 Broncos 6
• Third drive: The Chiefs started the drive with a short pass to Kelce, and continued to feed the tight end. Kelce caught three passes for 17 yards and a first down on the drive, and the Chiefs converted on 4th-and-1. Mahomes was injured on the play however, and had to leave the game with a knee injury. The Chiefs could not get into the end zone after Matt Moore entered the game for Mahomes and settled for a field goal. Chiefs 13 Broncos 6
• Fourth drive: The drive started with a holding penalty on Denver, which reversed a sack by outside linebacker Von Miller. The Chiefs could not move the ball on the next set of downs, forcing them to punt.
• Fifth drive: Moore took a knee to end the half.

Second Half

• Sixth drive: The Chiefs started the drive with a 3-yard run by McCoy. An incomplete pass from Moore put the Chiefs in a 3rd-and-long situation, which they converted with a 7-yard pass to Kelce. The Chiefs could not do the same on the next third down though, which forced them to punt.
• Seventh drive: The Chiefs moved the ball on the first set of downs thanks to another holding penalty by Denver. Moore got the next first down all on his own with passes to Hardman and Kelce. The Chiefs could not convert on the next set of downs, and punted once again.
• Eighth drive: The Chiefs started the drive with a 16-yard catch and run from wide receiver DeMarcus Robinson and followed it up with a 57-yard touchdown pass from Moore to wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Chiefs 27 Broncos 6
• Ninth drive: The Chiefs started the drive with three straight running plays to McCoy and Anthony Sherman for a first down. The Chiefs did not convert the next set of downs, punting to the Denver 11-yard line.
• Tenth drive: The Chiefs went three-and-out and punted.
• Eleventh drive: The Chiefs started the drive with a 22-yard run from McCoy. A 3-yard loss by McCoy on the following play put the Chiefs behind the sticks, and they are unable to convert on third down. They elected to kick a field goal. Chiefs 30 Broncos 6
• Twelfth drive: The Chiefs ran it three straight times to drain the clock, but ultimately punted on third down with less than two minutes remaining

DEFENSE

First half

• First drive: The defense started the game by only allowing only two yards on Denver’s first two rushing attempts of the game, but a face mask penalty helped the Broncos get their first conversion of the game. The Chiefs defended the next two rushing plays well, but another penalty kept the drive alive for Denver. Joe Flacco completed a 22-yard pass to get into the red zone, and a few plays later, the Broncos scored on a 1-yard touchdown run from RB Royce Freeman. Chiefs 0 Broncos 6
• Second drive: Denver started the drive with a holding penalty, pushing them back to their own 15. On the third down of the drive, Chiefs defensive end Alex Okafor sacked Joe Flacco, forcing the Broncos to punt.
• Third drive: The drive started with a holding call on Chiefs cornerback Chavarius Ward, but on the next play, Okafor made up for it with his second sack of the day. Denver failed to convert on third down and tried to go for it on fourth, but safety Armani Watts made a play to end the drive.
• Fourth drive: Linebacker Anthony Hitchens got a strip-sack on Flacco, and Reggie Ragland scooped the ball up for a score. Chiefs 20 Broncos 6
• Fifth drive: The Broncos started the drive with a deep pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton for 41 yards. Two plays later, Hitchens got his second sack of the game, pushing Denver back 10 yards. But the Broncos converted on the third-and-long, putting them into the red zone. The Chiefs bent — but didn’t break — on the drive, as defensive end Frank Clark got his first sack of the game on the following third down, forcing Denver to attempt a field goal. It was no good.
• Sixth drive: The Broncos started the drive with completions of eight and 16 yards, but couldn’t move the ball much after that. The drive only lasted five plays, and the Broncos were forced to punt the ball with five seconds left in the half.

Second Half

• Seventh drive: Denver started the drive with a 16-yard pass to wide receiver Emanuel Sanders, but a few plays later. the Chiefs got their seventh sack of the season on third-and-5, which forced Denver to punt.
• Eighth drive: Denver went three-and-out
• Ninth drive: A swatted pass at the line of scrimmage forced another Denver three-and-out.
• Tenth drive: The Broncos started the drive with a 14-yard run from Freeman, but followed it up by allowing Clark to get his second sack of the game. The Broncos were unable to convert on third-and-long, but got enough to convert on the following fourth-and-1. Ragland got a sack of his own on the next play, and Denver couldn’t make up the yardage lost. Denver was forced to punt for the sixth time in the game.
• Eleventh drive: The Broncos converted their first first down of the drive with two run plays, but couldn’t convert the next set of downs — including fourth down try.
• Twelfth drive: The Broncos went three-and-out and punted the ball away
• Thirteenth drive: The Broncos ran the ball to drain the clock and end the game

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Mecole Hardman took the first punt of the game from the Broncos and returned it for 36 yards.
• Wide receiver De’Anthony thomas also returned a few punts for the Chiefs

INJURIES

• Patrick Mahomes left the game with a knee injury