Chiefs’ Favorite Possessions Have Sputtered in Costly Fashion

The Kansas City Chiefs have come up empty in critical junctures around halftime.

Buffalo Bills cornerback Christian Benford tackles Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Hollywood Brown stopping him short of the end zone during first half action against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Nov. 2, 2025. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Chiefs are 8-2 on the opening coin toss, and they love to defer. They place extra emphasis on getting the ball out of the halftime locker room.

Plus, they count possessions and strategically try to manipulate games so they can score on the last drive of the first half and first drive of the second half.

Unfortunately, those pivotal possessions have proven costly over their last two games. And they’re hoping those drives don’t cost them something unspeakable – a winter without a playoff berth.

Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In Sunday’s 22-19 loss at Denver, those drives sputtered like an old truck needing a tuneup – and one ended in disaster.

Second-quarter Drive I

Kansas City got the ball with three minutes left in the second quarter and actually got 9 yards on its first two plays.

• Then, despite Kareem Hunt’s league-leading ability to convert short-yardage, the Chiefs on third-and-1 decided to pass against the league’s No. 1 pass-rush defense.

• Nose tackle D.J. Jones got Denver’s first sack of the day, dropping Patrick Mahomes.

Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) scrambles in the second quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Second-quarter Drive II

After the Chiefs’ defense neutralized the Broncos, Andy Reid opted to allow precious seconds to roll off the clock before Denver punted. Kansas City got the ball back on its 24-yard line with 27 seconds and two timeouts.

• On the first play, Hollywood Brown moved the chains on the sideline but for some reason didn’t go out of bounds, forcing Reid to burn a timeout.

Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) carries the ball in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

• After a Josh Simmons false start, Mahomes evaded pressure and threw a perfect strike to Rashee Rice, but the receiver let the ball go through his hands to negate a gain of 20-plus yards.

• Ja’Quan McMillian got home on a blitz to smother Kansas City’s Hail Mary before Mahomes could even launch it.

Third-quarter Drive I

The Chiefs fell 2 yards short of a touchdown against the league’s No. 1 red-zone defense, but the drive was painfully inefficient. In fact, two Broncos penalties on the drive saved the Chiefs on separate occasions.

Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) scores a touchdown past Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (21) in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

• Rookie Jahdae Barron intercepted Mahomes on the drive’s third play and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. But Riley Moss was called for illegal contact, giving the ball back to Kansas City.

• It was a Chiefs penalty, though, that really cost the Chiefs. Jawaan Taylor lined up too far off the line of scrimmage, wiping out Kareem Hunt’s big reception that would’ve had the Chiefs at first-and-goal from Denver’s 2-yard line.

• Two plays later, Mahomes couldn’t get the ball over McMillian’s head and the cornerback picked off the pass. Sean Payton’s illegal collision with an official on the opposite sideline wound up negating the return yardage, but Denver got to keep the ball.

The game before in a 28-21 loss at Buffalo, the Chiefs on the last drive of the first half had first-and-goal from the 1-yard line. However, they couldn’t secure that crucial touchdown and wound up settling for a field goal. Then, on the initial drive after halftime, they went three-and-out.

On those second-half-opening drives, Kansas City actually ranks tied for first in the NFL with six touchdowns (Buffalo also has six).

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