3 Big Takeaways From Broncos' 24-9 Win Over Chiefs
2,962 days have transpired since September 17, 2015, when the Denver Broncos last defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. A Peyton Manning-led Broncos squad won in Kansas City with the help of a late fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.
Entering Week 8, the Broncos had lost 16 straight games to the Chiefs — an embarrassment of unwanted records. The streak juxtaposed the fall of the Broncos against the rise of the Chiefs.
Before Sunday, Patrick Mahomes had not lost an away game to a divisional opponent and was a perfect 12-0 in his career against the Broncos. Well, the streak is over, after the Broncos defeated the Chiefs, 24-9.
The Broncos, much maligned and often written off, delivered arguably the shock of the NFL season so far, comprehensively defeating the Chiefs and giving themselves and the fans a genuine feel-good factor heading into the bye week.
Before going into the main takeaways, let's tip our cap to the Broncos’ ground crew for doing an amazing job of getting the field in such good condition amid the bad weather. Their hard efforts meant that the weather wasn't much of a factor in the Chiefs falling to the Broncos.
What did we learn? Let's dive in.
A Recipe for Success
The Broncos remained committed to the run throughout the game. The Broncos had a clear plan of utilizing 22 personnel (2 RBs, 2 TEs) early and often, using Quinn Bailey as an extra tight end, even between the 20s.
The Broncos had 40 rushes for 153 yards, with Javonte Williams finishing with 27 carries for 85 yards. Williams showed good burst and contact balance and looked much more confident in his knee. He also chipped in with a crucial early touchdown in the receiving game to break the scoreboard ice.
The run game allowed the Broncos to chew up the clock and limited Mahomes’ possessions, which led to the Chiefs' star quarterback trying to do too much. Coming out of half-time, the Broncos had two 40-plus-yard drives that munched 8:26 and 6:30 off the clock, respectively.
Early in the game, Russell Wilson was efficient and generated explosive plays through the air. Jerry Jeudy showed up more in the first half, with a post route against Chiefs safety Justin Reid, where he used his body to block off Reid and climb the ladder to make a contested catch for a 39-yard gain that put the Broncos in a goal-to-go situation.
Jeudy capped the drive with a touchdown reception on a crossing route where he was untouched. However, these would be Jeudy’s only receptions. Wilson looked better in the box score than on the tape, and at least four of the sacks given up can be attributed to him holding on to the ball too long and running into pressure.
Courtland Sutton had a fascinating matchup with Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed, with both players getting their share of penalties and wins against each other. Sutton’s contested catch ability shone through, especially with an impressive grab in the third quarter over Sneed. Sutton capped one drive with a touchdown and has emerged as the most impressive receiver on the Broncos' roster.
The Broncos' explosive plays dried up in the second half as it became more important to keep the ball and control the clock. The quick passing game extended the running game, exploiting mismatches and giving the running backs more touches.
Timely Plays From the Defense & Special Teams
Denver had an excellent defensive stand to begin the game, putting Mahomes in 3rd-&-14 with nowhere to go with the football, setting the tone for the duration. Marvin Mims Jr. had a 49-yard punt return, which continues to beg the question as to why he's not more involved in the offense.
Early, the Chiefs moved the ball well, but it was the Broncos generating timely plays. After linebacker Josey Jewell was called for defensive holding as he worked against Travis Kelce, ‘The Outlaw’ responded by forcing a fumble against Marquez Valdes-Scantling on the very next play as he dropped deep.
Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillan had a solid game in coverage, with his first career interception coming as Mahomes forced the ball. Safety Justin Simmons had a fumble recovery and an interception.
Even when the Chiefs got into Denver territory, more timely plays by the defense keyed the victory. Rush linebacker Baron Browning had a forced fumble that Jonathon Cooper recovered. A muffed punt by Mecole Hardman was recovered by the Broncos and turned into seven points.
Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice was a threat, with 56 yards on four receptions, with a long of 39 yards coming as he worked up the sideline with Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton closest in coverage. After, the Broncos did a better job of containing Rice and limiting him to just 17 more yards on three receptions.
Broncos defensive lineman Zach Allen had another good game knifing through the gaps and stifling the Chiefs’ offense. Indeed, while Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco threatened, Denver's front seven did a good job of limiting him to just 40 yards on the ground on eight attempts, as his long carry was 19 yards.
The Broncos' defense got timely tackles for a loss, which helped the effort, and showed physicality. Safety P.J. Locke did a good job in his Week 8 start as he was tested often in coverage.
The Chiefs had 62 yards total on 16 rushing attempts. While they were more efficient on a per-carry basis than the Broncos, game flow ensured the Chiefs would lack balance. Mahomes had 38 passing attempts, and, despite a few moments of magic, he didn't move the ball well through the air. Even Kelce was limited as much as he can be, and was not really a factor, thanks to tight coverage and disciplined defense.
The Broncos' defense looked better with Jewell and Browning, forcing the Chiefs into third-and-long and fourth-down situations, where the Chiefs came up empty time and again.
What it Means
The Broncos absolutely needed this win.
Celebrate it.
Drink it in.
A new streak begins.
However, it's important not to be under any illusions about the gap in quality between these teams. As the Broncos approach Tuesday’s trade deadline, scaling back any fire sale is sensible, but they still need to be realistic about the season. Finishing with pride is important, and wins are still hard to come by in the NFL, but making the playoffs at 3-5 will be very difficult.
The Broncos can't end up in purgatory, still needing more from Wilson than he can give the team. In order to have a chance at winning games, the Broncos have had to minimize their $250 million quarterback and bolster him with a dominant run game.
Week 8's victory could have come undone in the middle eight minutes on either side of halftime, as the Chiefs briefly threatened, but this was a strong test of the Broncos’ mettle. There are pieces to build around, and the cupboard isn’t empty, but moving ahead, the difficult decisions on players still need to be made.
It would still behoove the Broncos to be sellers at the deadline, getting good value for players surplus to requirements and stockpiling for a true rebuild.
Mims needs to be more involved in the offense, and the Broncos would still be wise to move on from Jeudy, if the team receives a quality offer. Similarly, Singleton becomes more of a tradeable piece and has more worth to other teams at this point.
The NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday. Payton quelled even the notion of the Broncos' being sellers at the deadline during his post-game presser on Sunday, but we'll know soon how truthful he's been on that particular front.
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