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The Kansas City Chiefs’ chances at a tenth consecutive AFC West title likely ended after a 22-19 loss to the Denver Broncos.
And the play that really turned the tide in the AFC West was a crucial interception of Patrick Mahomes.
Even though the Chiefs had arguably the NFL’s best defense, they knew points would be scarce.
They faced a 3rd-and-14 at the Denver 21 with 10:23 left in the third quarter. Throw an incompletion and the Chiefs can still settle for a field goal to go up 9-6. Instead, Mahomes threw his sixth interception of the year.
“You can’t do that,” Mahomes said. “In the type of football match we are in, you shouldn’t put the ball in danger. Get the three points.”
The pass intended for running back Elijah Mitchell, who the Chiefs signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract as a free agent and saw his first action of the season, was incorrect.
“I wanted to give him a chance,” Mahomes said. “I just didn’t throw it high enough.”
Ja’Quan McMillian took it awayAnd the Broncos responded with an 11-play, 89-yard drive to take a 13-6 lead.
It was the only turnover of the game.
“It’s not what you want,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said. “We still had chances.”
On the Chiefs’ next possession, Mahomes and wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, two players who impressively chased McMillian, connected on one of the Chiefs’ best plays of the game.
On a 3rd-and-7 from the Kansas City 28, Thornton hauled in a 61-yard catch. Mahomes came off the pass despite being hit by defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers.
Three players later, a Kareem Hunt touchdown tied the score.
Travis Kelce and Chris Jones perform
The loss to the Broncos came despite standout performances from two Chiefs veterans who played on the 2016 team that started its run of nine straight AFC West titles.
36-year-old Travis Kelce, who is in the final year of his contract and in what many believe will be his final season, led all players with 91 receiving yards.
On the first drive of the third quarter, there was a play where he converted three first downs in a span of four plays.
And on a 3rd-and-6 with 10:04 to go, Kelce broke Talanoa Hufanga’s tackle and fouled Riley Moss a 21-yard touchdown.
In true Kelce fashion, he showed his fierce competitiveness by yelling at the Empower Field crowd and putting his hand to his ear, begging them to make more noise.
Another player from the 2016 team that preceded Mahomes, 31-year-old Chris Jones, who was criticized for not living up to his five-year, $158.75 million contract and had the fewest sacks in nine games since his rookie year, responded with five quarterback pressures, including a sack.
But it wasn’t enough.
AFC West race
With the Broncos three-and-a-half games ahead in the division and holding the tiebreaker over the 5-5 Chiefs, the Chiefs will likely have to play for a wild-card berth.
“It’s going to be tough to get back into the division race,” Mahomes said.
Heading into Sunday’s divisional game against the Broncos, Mahomes noted that winning the AFC West is always the Chiefs’ first goal heading into a season.
“It kind of checks that first box,” he said, “so you can show that you’ve accomplished something.”
It also makes the playoff journey easier, as the division winner gets at least one home game.
“You get the home game at Arrowhead, which, I think, is huge,” Mahomes said. “We’ve proven that we can go on the road and win, but just the fact that we can play at Arrowhead is an advantage, I mean, because of the noise and the atmosphere, and you can feed off the crowd.”
But if the Chiefs hope to reach a fourth straight Super Bowl appearance, they will likely have to hit the road – where they have just one win in five attempts this season.
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