Broncos Edges Chiefs 28-24 in a Nail-Biter as Kansas City’s Late-Game Magic Falls Short
A familiar script was playing out Sunday afternoon in Denver, until it abruptly stopped at the 1-yard line. Trailing 28-24 with just 4 seconds left on the clock, the Kansas City Chiefs put the ball in the hands of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, expecting the exact type of late-game comeback victory upon which he has built his career. Instead, the AFC West showdown ended with a sack, securing a 6-2 record for the Denver Broncos and dropping the Chiefs to 5-2.
The dramatic finish unfolded after Mahomes threw what appeared to be a go-ahead touchdown pass to receiver Rashee Rice. Just as Rice hauled in the ball, officials threw a flag for a false start. Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore had flinched on the play, backing the Chiefs up 5 yards. Before that goal-line sequence, Denver’s defense had already stuffed star Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III on a short attempt from the 1-yard line.
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“I didn’t see it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of the penalty. “I saw him move his head, but I didn’t see” a penalty.
The narrow outcome highlighted Kansas City’s mounting kicking uncertainty. Veteran kicker Harrison Butker, who signed a four-year contract reported to be worth more than $25 million in 2024 after helping the Chiefs win three Super Bowls, has experienced a dip in production. His accuracy fell to 82% over the following three seasons, including a 9-for-19 mark on attempts from 50 yards or beyond. This season, Butker has made 11 of 16 overall tries and gone 2 for 6 from 50-plus yards.
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The kicking struggles prompted Kansas City to sign veteran kicker Justin Tucker to its practice squad last week as a competitive measure, despite Tucker having spent more than a year away from the field due to a suspension for off-field conduct. Butker hit a 45-yard attempt earlier in Sunday’s game, but with Kansas City holding a 24-21 lead at the 2:36 mark of regulation, he missed a 54-yard try that would have extended the advantage. Denver capitalized immediately, driving 56 yards in just two plays to take a 28-24 lead and leaving Mahomes with 116 seconds to mount a response.
A Historic Season for Close Games
The frantic finish added to an extraordinary league-wide trend. The game marked the 71st contest of the NFL season decided by one score or less, tying the historical record for the most through Week 8 since the 1970 merger. It was also the 35th game this season featuring a game-winning score in the final four minutes of regulation or in overtime, sitting just one shy of the record 36 through eight weeks.
For Denver, tight finishes have become standard operating procedure. Over the past two seasons, the Broncos hold a 16-2 record in one-score games, standing as the best mark in the league.
“It has to come from we’ve done it before,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.
