Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ win in Denver. It was a win, right?
A game with drama worthy of primetime, wouldn’t you say?
Oops.
The NFL removed the Chiefs-Broncos game from Sunday Night Football, probably fearful of a blowout, but the league apparently forgot one thing: The Chiefs’ defense isn’t good enough to blow much of anyone out.
That’s a problem, but a problem that at least this week came with a win.
The Chiefs took care of the top priority, beating the Broncos 34-28 Sunday, even if it didn’t feel like much of a victory.
They led 27-0 before a few confounding throws from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, which was overshadowed only by an atrocious two quarters from the defense.
We’ll have to start there with the five observations from immediately after the game:
1. Closing out a game
You would think of all issues that would plague this season, this would be one in which they wouldn’t need a reminder.
We do remember how last season finished after all, right?
The Chiefs spent an offseason saying finishing games would be their top lesson from the 2021 conclusion, and yet, here we are.
Just two weeks earlier, my colleague, Vahe Gregorian, addressed this issue after the Chiefs let a bad Rams team hang around. Well, it’s a trend. The Broncos had no business ever being in the game in the second half — let alone a possession with a chance to take the lead late in the game.
Mahomes got too careless with the football with a big lead; the offensive line fell apart; and then there’s this and this is the one that could loom:
2. That kind of defense ain’t good enough
Mahomes put the defense in a bad spot with back-to-back interceptions in the second quarter — let’s get that out of the way — but the Chiefs allowed 11.4 yards per play over a three-possession stretch sandwiched around halftime.
Against one of the league’s very worst offenses.
Russell Wilson, who left the game after a scary moment that led to a concussion, had eight passing touchdowns all season, and then he threw touchdowns on three consecutive drives.
In its totality, the effort was good enough to escape Denver, but it won’t be good good enough against elite offenses and elite quarterbacks — the kind who tend to stick around in the playoffs. And it’s getting too late in the season for this to still be a thing.
The Broncos scored a season-high 28 points.
3. The running back committee
Look, it’s not all bad. The Chiefs did win the game, after all. And at long last, they appear to have settled roles for their running backs.
It’s starting to click.
Isiah Pacheco has rushed for at least 60 yards in five straight games and iced the game with his 10-yard carry up the gut, and Jerick McKinnon is thriving in the third-down role.
Something in the Chiefs’ scouting report informed Andy Reid the screen game would be a good idea against the Broncos, and that was some good intel.
McKinnon tore up a good Broncos defense through the air, catching seven passes for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Including this one:
4. That Mahomes pass
Yeah, we’ll have to at least mention that pass.
Mahomes just routinely — and nonchalantly — completes passes that the other 31 quarterbacks wouldn’t think to try.
The latest? Not even sure what to call it — sidearm, underhand, or just more of a flip. With one defender on his legs and another charging toward him, Mahomes looked like a point guard in the paint finding his post player, a no-look pass that fell into the hands of McKinnon, who traveled the rest of the way for a 56-yard touchdown.
5. A game-management problem (again)
With five minutes to play, the 3-9 Broncos held the ball near midfield, a chance to actually take the lead.
Never should’ve happened.
And I’m not only referring to a lead that once ballooned to 27 points.
In the final minute of the third quarter, Mahomes found JuJu Smith-Schuster for a touchdown that put the Chiefs up 12.
The Chiefs, inexplicably, kicked an extra point to go up 13, rather than attempting a two-point conversion for the possibility of going up two full scores.
It only added to the anxiety of some nervy moments throughout the second half, and unnecessarily so.
This story was originally published December 11, 2022 at 6:28 PM with the headline "Five things that stood out about the Chiefs’ win in Denver. It was a win, right?."