GAMEDAY Open Thread/Live Blog: Broncos vs. Chiefs | Week 7
The 2-4 Denver Broncos will host the 4-2 Kansas City Chiefs tonight on Thursday Night Football. The home team is riding high off a two-game winning streak, while the traveler is on a two-game slide.
The Chiefs have beaten the Broncos seven-straight times, so suffice to say, Empower Field at Mile High will be rocking tonight, hoping this ignominious streak comes to an end.
Join us as we live-blog and discuss KCvsDEN here in our weekly GAMEDAY Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top of the site and in the bottom righthand corner of the Mile High Huddle logo, click the follow button.
You can log in with Facebook or Google and either way, it's free. From there, sound off in the comment section and share your reactions and observations with our staff, subscribers and fellow members of the MHH community as we react to the game in real-time.
Inactives
Analysis: No dice on the Ja'Wuan James front. Extremely disappointing. He misses his sixth-straight game, despite the 'hope' and 'expectation' that he would be good to go for the Chiefs on a short week. Adam Gotsis sits again, which means Vic Fangio is sticking with the front-seven formula that's paid dividends the last two weeks.
Analysis: CB Bashaud Breeland is active. The Chiefs secondary is still compromised with Kendall Fuller ruled out. Eric Fisher's absence gives Von Miller and Malik Reed an enormous opportunity. Sammy Watkins has killed the Broncos before and while it's an easier task without him on the field, the secondary still has to account for Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce.
First Quarter
15:00: Broncos lose the coin toss. Chiefs defer. Broncos open with the ball.
14:19: Broncos bottled up on first and second down. Chiefs defense coming out hot to stop the run. The third-and-long throw is a swing pass to Diontae Spencer. Stopped short. But a facemask flag falls on Frank Clark. Broncos move the chains.
11:27: 3rd-&-8. Joe Flacco throws incomplete. Broncos luck out again with a defensive holding penalty. First down.
11:15: Andy Janovich rumbles for 21 yards on the reception. Broncos in business in the red zone.
9:12: Broncos draw first blood. Royce Freeman scores from one yard out! 10 plays, 75 yards. Helped by two Chiefs penalties on third down. The penalty on the ensuing extra point gives Denver one yard to go, so Fangio elects to go for the two-point conversion. Phillip Lindsay bottled up. No dice.
Broncos 6, Chiefs 0 (9:06)
8:27: LeSean McCoy rips off a 19-yard run, giving Chiefs momentum.
6:19: 3rd-&-3. Patrick Mahomes hits Travis Kelce for 13 yards. Chiefs moving.
4:19: Mahomes hits rookie Mecole Hardman for a 21-yard touchdown. Another big play allowed on third down. 8 plays, 75 yards. Extra point is good.
Chiefs 7, Broncos 6.
4:10: Garett Bolles flagged for holding on first down. His seventh of the season.
3:16: Flacco sacked on third down, fumbles. Freeman recovers. Both tackles allow the edge pressure and Flacco's pocket presence is Hellen Keller-like as usual. Mecole Hardman returns ensuing punt 36 yards to the Broncos 21-yard line.
This is how the Broncos dig themselves a hole. We've seen this story many times. Hopefully, this yarn has a different ending.
1:04: Broncos defense holds the Chiefs to a three-and-out but they were already in field goal range. The attempt is good.
Chiefs 10, Broncos 6
0:48: Flacco sacked on first down. Elijah Wilkinson again the culprit at RT.
0:11: Refs initially throw the flag for pass interference on Flacco's deep heave to Noah Fant. After conferring, the officials pick up the flag. Broncos fail to move the chains on the ensuing third down. End of quarter.
Chiefs 10, Broncos 6
Second Quarter
15:00: Broncos fake the punt. Colby Wadman had no freakin' chance. Stopped for a six-yard loss. Ugly. Broncos reeling.
10:37: 4th-&-1. Andy Reid goes for it. Mahomes converts on the sneak. He's hurt.
8:08: Matt Moore comes out on the field. Two runs and an incomplete pass on third down. Chiefs have to settle for a field goal. It's good from 20 yards.
Chiefs 13, Broncos 6
7:10: Flacco misses a blitz, fails to throw it away. Sacked/fumbled and Chiefs scoop it up and score. This game is getting out of hand.
Chiefs 20, Broncos 6
6:27: Patrick Mahomes has been ruled OUT. Flacco completes 41 yards to Courtland Sutton. Broncos trying to get back on track.
3:47: Flacco sacked again, losing eight yards. Brandon McManus trots onto the field and misses from 45 yards.
Chiefs 20, Broncos 6
0:35: Bolles flagged for holding for the second time of the night.
0:11: Broncos' drive stalls. Wadman punts. Moore kneels on it. End of half.
Chiefs 20, Broncos 6
Third Quarter
13:02: Chiefs move the chains once before getting bottled up. Punt.
10:53: Flacco sacked again on third down. Holding onto the ball on a deep drop equals bad news.
4:30: Moore goes deep to Tyreek Hill, completes for a 57-yard touchdown. Chris Harris, Jr. burned in coverage. Extra point is good.
Chiefs 27, Broncos 6
3:32: LB Justin Hollins has left the game with a knee. Questionable to return.
0:47: Flacco sacked again and Bolles flagged for his third holding penalty of the night. It was declined. End of quarter.
Chiefs 27, Broncos 6
Fourth Quarter
10:55: DeMarcus Walker gets the Broncos first sack of the night, on third down. It was his fourth of the season.
8:14: 4th-&-6. Flacco throws it away basically.
Game ends
Chiefs 30, Broncos 6
Denver Broncos drop to 2-5.
