Five Broncos turnovers help Chiefs stop two-game slide
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs proved Monday night they can play a little defense, too.
The same group that struggled to contain the Steelers and Raiders in back-to-back losses shut down Denver, picking off Trevor Siemian three times, picking up two fumbles and taking one of them back for a touchdown in a 29-19 victory.
It was precisely the kind of dominant performance the Chiefs (6-2) needed against the Broncos (3-4), whose own league-leading defense held Alex Smith and Co. in check all night.
Harrison Butker kicked five field goals for Kansas City, and Smith threw for 202 yards and a touchdown. Most of it went to Travis Kelce, who hauled in seven balls for 133 yards and the score.
But it was the turnovers that proved to be the difference.
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.
The Chiefs were threatening to put the game out of reach later in the first quarter when 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, and he was intercepted in the end zone.
Kansas City led 20-3 when the Broncos’ offense finally found some rhythm.
They marched 60 yards to set up their second field goal by Brandon Mcmanus, and then capped an 80-yard drive with Booker’s touchdown run. It was just the second time Denver had reached the end zone in 13-plus quarters.
Butker answered with another field goal, and the Chiefs defense held on fourth-and-4 near midfield to get the ball back. Butker added two more field goals, the last with 4:41 left, giving him 18 straight made attempts and putting the game out of reach.
“It’s not what you want offensively,” Smith said with a wry grin. “You love having him on the team and making those, but I’d rather have him kicking PATS.”