Bridgewater picked off twice in second half. Rookie operating again Javonte Williams had 178 yards dashing and receiving however his particular person effort wasn’t sufficient.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All that point off the clock. All these performs. All these yards.
The Broncos had been hanging with the once-mighty Kansas Metropolis Chiefs earlier than a decide six by security Daniel Sorensen within the fourth quarter eliminated suspense. The Broncos fell to the Chiefs 22-9 on this primetime-viewing Sunday evening recreation at Arrowhead (GEHA Discipline) Stadium, losing a robust efficiency by rookie Javonte Williams, who completed with 102 yards dashing, 76 yards receiving, about two dozen damaged tackles and possibly a pair thousand new followers.
“Although I performed good, the locker room remains to be not completely happy,” Williams mentioned. “It was all proper, however it’s onerous to have a good time after a loss, particularly to the Chiefs.”
“We’ve got to have the ability to rating extra factors, irrespective of who you’re enjoying, particularly the Chiefs at house,” mentioned Broncos head coach Vic Fangio.
Down, 22-3 after a deflected Teddy Bridgewater fourth-and-2 move was intercepted by Sorensen, who returned it 75 yards for a back-breaking landing, the Broncos answered with their solely landing of the sport. With about 5 minutes remaining, Bridgewater on fourth-and-7 related with Williams open within the left flat for a 13-yard landing.
However the guests’ lack of ability to complete a methodical 20-play, 11-minute, 17-second drive that took up practically your complete second quarter went for naught with the potential exception that Williams’ dashing did maintain Chiefs’ nice quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the sidelines. The drive ended on a fourth-and-2 run play that was stuffed for a loss.
“In a drive like that, once you’re in a state of affairs the place you get the ball actually backed up then take the ball all the best way down the sphere and also you don’t rating, it simply sucks, man,” Bridgewater mentioned.
“Irritating,” mentioned Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton, who was held to 2 catches for 15 yards — his fifth consecutive recreation of two catches or much less. “I imply that’s all I can actually say. It’s irritating.”
The Chiefs, who entered this recreation with 5 consecutive AFC West Division titles, have now received 12 video games in a row towards the Broncos. Kansas Metropolis additionally received its fifth straight retained its division lead for yet one more 12 months with an 8-4 document. The Chiefs are the one group in NFL historical past to have a profitable streak of at the very least 5 video games in 9 consecutive seasons.
The Broncos fell to 6-6. They play the 1-10-1 Detroit Lions subsequent Sunday at Empower Discipline at Mile Excessive. With 5 video games remaining and just one recreation out of the No. 6 and seven AFC playoff seeds, the Broncos’ season is way from completed. However they might have bought Broncos Nation that they had been legit playoff contenders had they performed higher towards the Chiefs.
For seemingly your complete second quarter, the Broncos had the ball. After falling behind 10-0 within the first quarter, the Broncos bought a area aim early within the second to attract nearer to the heavily-favored Chiefs. Denver then bought the ball again by itself 3-yard line with 12 minutes 16 seconds left within the first half.
Barreling down the sphere went Williams and, for the primary time this season, his backup Mike Boone.
Combine in a pair quick Bridgewater completions and the Broncos’ possession lasted 20 performs. It ticked off greater than 11 minutes whereas Mahomes sat and watched from the bench. The Broncos travelled to the Chiefs’ 8 yard line, however it was fourth-and-2. Earlier within the drive, with the ball on the Chiefs’ 43, it was fourth and seven however Fangio went for it.
And bought it. Bridgewater transformed that state of affairs by hitting Sutton on a slant move. And so slightly than take the sphere aim in any case that point, all these performs, and all that method, Fangio went for it once more, this time on fourth-and-2 from the 8. In a little bit of a mixup, Williams – who thought Bridgewater was alleged to be within the shotgun place as an alternative of below heart and reacted with the predictable confusion — was stuffed for a 1-yard loss.
Significantly? The Broncos went 88 yards on 20 performs whereas possessing the ball for 11 minutes, 7 seconds. Zero factors. Did Fangio contemplate taking the quick area aim? As a result of, you recognize, after 20 performs, 3 factors would have been none?
“There was, however little or no,” Fangio mentioned. “I’m comfy with that call. We had transformed a few fourth downs to maintain it going. One was fourth and seven, I imagine. You guys simply bought accomplished grilling me concerning the factors. You must rating touchdowns to beat this group.”
It took a pair collection on either side of the ball for the Broncos to get going. In a uncommon transfer after profitable the coin toss, Fangio elected to take the ball first slightly than defer to the second half. The thought was to get the Broncos’ offense in rhythm early. And possibly to ensure the Chiefs’ high-powered offense didn’t put the Broncos in an early gap.
Sound reasoning that didn’t go as deliberate. With the Chiefs’ protection bringing strain, the Broncos went three-and-out on their first two possessions. Mahomes, in the meantime, drove his Chiefs methodically down the sphere on a 12-play, 72-yard drive that had a superb mixture of runs and shallow-cross completions to speedster Tyreek Hill.
Mahomes completed the drive with a 10-yard scramble round proper finish for a landing. The Chiefs had been up early, 7-0, defer or no defer.
The Chiefs moved the ball on their second possession, too, because of a 29-yard display screen move to operating again Clyde Edwards-Helaire. However Denver rookie outdoors linebacker Jonathan Cooper made a terrific play on one other display screen late within the drive and the Chiefs settled for a 56-yard area aim by Harrison Butker. His kick bounced off the left upright and in for a 10-0 lead.
Once more on their third collection, the Broncos’ offense began at their 25. This time Bridgewater started by hitting an open Jerry Jeudy for a 36-yard achieve. The Broncos moved to the Chiefs’ 14, however an offensive move interference penalty on Sutton – who has the officers in search of that decision on him currently – and an intentional grounding penalty on Bridgewater pushed the ball again.
Brandon McManus bailed out the drive by making a 42-yard area aim early within the second quarter.
It was 10-3 and the Broncos had been again within the recreation. The Denver protection got here up with a cease on the Chiefs, forcing a punt. A penalty throughout Dionate Spencer’s return moved the ball again to the 3-yard line. With the Broncos’ offense huddling up from its personal finish zone, and No. 1 riunning again Melvin Gordon III again in Denver resting from a hip damage, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur referred to as on Williams.
Who plowed forward, time after time. 5 consecutive carries by Williams and Boone moved the ball out to the 35 earlier than Bridgewater tried his first move. Bridgewater then began doing his half by mixing briefly completions. The Broncos had superior to the Chiefs’ 43, third and seven. Underneath strain, Bridgewater threw it away. Fourth and seven on the Chiefs’ 43.
Surprisingly, however not likely, Fangio went for it. Bridgewater calmly hit Sutton on a slant for 11 yards. Then extra Williams. He rushed for one more first right down to the Chiefs’ 16 whereas Kansas Metropolis star defensive lineman Chris Jones was kneeling on the sideline getting a breather. However the collection died a number of performs in a while one other fourth down try.
Mahomes was solely 15 of 29 for 184 yards with an interception. His 57.3 passer score was the worst of his regular-season profession. Bridgewater was 22 of 40 for 257 yards. He had three potential interceptions undergo the arms of Chiefs’ defenders. Williams had 102 yards dashing on a career-most 23 carries, plus one other six catches for 76 yards.
The second half continued to be a troublesome, hard-fought battle of wills, though the Broncos collapsed amid three turnovers.
The Chiefs made the primary mistake once they had a good drive snuffed out when Mahomes threw a tad sizzling and excessive to Hill, who muffed it and the ball bounced into cornerback Pat Surtain II’s arms for his third interception in two video games.
However Bridgewater threw a nasty decide when he did not see security Juan Thornhill bounce a curl route run by Jeudy. On the ultimate play of the third quarter, Spencer was bumped into by his personal Caden Sterns whereas making an attempt to area a punt. Sterns was blocked into Spencer however the muff gave the Chiefs the ball on the Broncos’ 18.
PHOTOS | Broncos at Chiefs
And but the Denver D stopped the Chiefs one yard in need of a primary down and settled for one more Butker area aim. The Chiefs had been up 16-3 early within the fourth quarter.
However then on one other fourth and a pair of, this time from the Chiefs’ 27, Bridgewater had a move deflected proper into the arms of Sorensen, who returned it 75 yards for a landing. Butker missed the additional level to maintain the Chiefs lead at 22-3 with 9:42 remaining.
“Kareem Jackson mentioned it greatest within the locker room,” Bridgewater mentioned of his veteran security teammate. “That we’ve 5 video games left and every one is a playoff recreation for us All we wish to do is deal with someday at a time, one week at a time, one opponent at a time.”
The remaining 5 video games: Residence towards the Lions; house towards the 7-5 Bengals; on the highway towards the 6-6 Raiders, on the highway towards the 7-5 Chargers and again house for a closing recreation towards the Chiefs.
It seems the Broncos are getting nearer to matching up towards the Chiefs. They compete higher. Mahomes does not rack up 35 factors with ease anymore.
“One thousand p.c,” Sutton mentioned.
Nonetheless, the skid continues. Twelve consecutive losses over greater than six years.
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