Chiefs use turnovers, field goals to top Broncos

KANSAS CITY, MO. Harrison Butker kicked five field goals and Marcus Peters returned a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown Monday as the Kansas City Chiefs beat the turnover-prone Denver Broncos 29-19.

Alex Smith threw for 202 yards and a touchdown, most of it going to tight end Travis Kelce, who hauled in seven balls for 133 yards and a score. The Chiefs (6-2) also intercepted Trevor Siemian three times and hopped on two fumbles to beat Denver (3-4) for the fourth straight time. Siemian finished 19 of 36 for 198 yards and a touchdown and has now thrown eight picks and only three TD passes in the past five games. The Broncos have lost all but one of them.

It was a crucial bounce-back win for the Chiefs, who had their 12game AFC West winning streak snapped 10 days ago in Oakland. The Chiefs had won five straight to start the season before losing to the Steelers and then to the Raiders on Derek Carr’s last-second touchdown throw.

It started just like old times, too: Jamaal Charles with a run, the Chiefs with a touchdown.

The only difference was Charles, who went to four Pro Bowls with the Chiefs, was back in Kansas City with the Broncos. And the TD came when the opportunistic Peters stripped him, picked up the loose ball and returned it 45 yards for the opening score.

When the Chiefs were on offence, they went right to Kelce. He beat Darian Stewart for a 29-yard TD catch and a 14-0 lead.

The Chiefs were threatening to put the game out of reach in the first quarter when coach Andy Reid got cute with the play-calling. Rather than keep the ball in the hands of Smith, who hasn’t thrown a pick all season, he let wide receiver Tyreek Hill throw it. He was intercepted in the end zone.