A final look at the Broncos’ 27-23 loss to the on Monday night after reviewing the film:
1. Letap start at the end … or near it The Broncos led 23-20 with 6:27 remaining. First down: Right guard loses his block against defensive tackle Xavier Williams (no gain for ). Second down: ’s pass to in the right flat gains zero yards when cornerback Orlando Scandrick read the play perfectly, keeping one eye on his man () and one on Keenum. Third down: A coverage sack in 5.71 seconds. Fourth down: A poor 35-yard Marquette King punt to the Chiefs’ 40.
2. The Broncos’ final drive. Safety Armani Watts blitzed unblocked on two plays, sacking Keenum and knocking him down. Keenum should have clocked the football after tight end ’s 36-yard reception. Heuerman was whistled down at the 48-second mark and the next play was snapped at 32 seconds. The one Keenum wanted back was his overthrow of an open Thomas at the Chiefs’ 5-yard line. And, on the final play, replays showed would have had the first down before trying to pitch it back to Sanders. The issue was time — the clock would have likely run out.
3. The Broncos rushed at least five players on 12 of Patrick Mahomes’ 53 drop-backs (22.6 percent). The pass rush story for the Broncos was close-to-but-not-all-the-way-home. They piled up 19 pressures on Mahomes, but only one sack (a coverage sack by linebacker ). Quarterback hits: 2, 2, 2 and one apiece for Davis and Zach Kerr. Quarterback pressures: Wolfe 3, Chubb 2 and one apiece for Miller, , , and .
4. The Chiefs rushed at least five players on 12 of Keenum’s 37 drop-backs (32.4 percent). Booked for allowing sacks were Lindsay, 2.46 seconds when linebacker Dee Ford bounced off the block attempt and Keenum couldn’t throw quickly to Sanders, who was covered; linebacker Justin Houston used a speed rush to get around left tackle Garett Bolles (2.40 seconds); a coverage sack in 5.71 seconds; and a split sack allowed by Heuerman and running back (2.76 seconds), neither of whom accounted for a blitzing Watts.
5. A recap of Mahomes’ magic extending plays: Eight yards on third-and-4 (4.27 seconds), 20 yards on third-and-9 (4.88), 29 yards on third-and-11 (5.09), five yards on third-and-1 (3.69), a left-handed six-yard pass on third-and-5 (3.90), 23 yards on second-and-30 (5.07) and 35 yards on third-and-7 (3.89). “He gave us a problem, obviously, scrambling around and creating a new play, which is tough on (defensive backs),” coach said.
6. Good teams finish drives. The Broncos didn’t check that box. First quarter: Reached the Chiefs 29, but Thomas dropped a quick pass, and Lindsay allowed a sack, creating a third-and-12 (field goal). Fourth quarter: The Broncos reach the Chiefs’ 34, but gain six yards on two rushes and Keenum throws it away on third-and-4 (field goal).
7. Perhaps knowing the state of his defense, Chiefs coach Andy Reid went for it on fourth-and-1 from his 34 on the opening drive. It was a well-designed play. Kansas City had three players lined up to the left (a fullback, tight end and receiver). That forced a six-man box for the Broncos’ defense and Kareem Hunt gained two yards. Two plays later, Hunt caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage and gained 27 yards when Stewart and cornerback Adam Jones missed tackles. Stewart and cornerback missed tackles later on Huntap 45-yard run.
8. The Broncos’ first touchdown drive was Rookie Time. Lindsay 13-yard run, Sutton 42-yard catch, Lindsay five-yard reception, Freeman four-yard run and Freeman 14-yard touchdown run. On the score, Freeman took the pitch well behind the line, but showed good patience (waiting for a block to develop), vision (when to turn up the field) and power (ran through tackles by cornerback Kendall Fuller and linebacker Anthony Hitchens).
9.It was a wild night for cornerback . He drew three Chiefs penalties — face-mask on receiver Demarcus Robinson face-mask, illegal hands to the face by right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and pass interference by tight end . In man coverage, we charted Mahomes as 2 of 3 for 19 yards (one pass break-up) against Harris. The pass break-up came while covering Kelce.
10. A sign the Broncos made the wrong play call on the Chiefs’ second-and-30 play (23-yard pass) late in the game: Both ESPN analysts, and Booger McFarland, were instantly critical of it, saying it was a mistake to play man. Miller and then Wolfe pressured Mahomes, who scrambled right. Safety Justin Simmons was in coverage against Robinson, but momentarily lost track when Robinson juked inside before turning outside.
