KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As Kansas City Chiefs fans chanted Tony Gonzalez’s name in unison after the tight end’s touchdown catch, Broncos linebacker Boss Bailey pulled off his helmet and walked slowly back to the Broncos’ bench.
It was like Bailey was in complete disbelief. It’s a feeling Broncos fans surely share.
Gonzalez’s score gave the Chiefs a 23-13 lead early in the fourth quarter in Kansas City’s 33-19 victory. When the game finally ended, Bailey was still searching for answers as to how the Broncos, undefeated before this trip to Kansas City, lost to a team that hadn’t won since last October, a team that hadn’t scored more than two touchdowns in a game since before Christmas of last year.
“Honestly, I don’t know what happened there at the end,” Bailey said, shaking his head.
Last week, Broncos defenders spoke about how this game was a chance to prove themselves after giving up more than 500 yards last week to New Orleans and allowing an average of 28 points through three weeks.
What happened instead was the revelation that the Broncos’ defensive woes are more serious than previously imagined.
“I thought we were ready for the game,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “And, obviously, we weren’t.”
That was clear almost immediately Sunday.
Kansas City running back Larry Johnson burst through the Broncos’ defensive line for a 65-yard gain on the Chiefs’ second play from scrimmage. It would have been a touchdown if cornerbacks Dre Bly and Champ Bailey had not chased Johnson down.
Johnson, who just two weeks ago publicly questioned his future with the Chiefs, finished the game with 198 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
All this against a team that had prided itself this season on its improved run defense. Before Johnson did it, the Broncos had not allowed a 100-yard rusher this season.
“For the most part we played well against the run all year, but today was not a good day for us,” defensive end Elvis Dumervil said. “We have to get that corrected.”
The Broncos were playing without starting defensive tackle Dewayne Robertson and reserve tackle Josh Shaw, who both were held out with injuries, but Shanahan would not use the absence of two of the team’s better run stoppers as an excuse.
Shanahan gave much of the credit to Johnson, who now has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of his five starts against Denver, and blamed the entire defense for Johnson’s success.
“Two guys go down, two guys got to step up, and as a unit we just didn’t quite get the job done,” Shanahan said.
The Broncos have given up more than 30 points in each of their last three games, and have been outscored in the fourth quarter 48-28 for the season.
“To be good in this league, you have to try to hold teams to under 20 points,” Bly said.
Shanahan and defenders repeatedly said that Sunday’s loss would force the team “back to the drawing board,” searching for answers before consecutive home games against Tampa Bay and Jacksonville.
“We definitely have issues,” Dumervil said. “We have to correct that as soon as possible.”
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
