Mahomes to the rescue as Chiefs down Broncos
DENVER — A suddenly ambidextrous Patrick Mahomes rallied the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs back from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter for a 27-23 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday night.
Thanks in part to a lefthanded throw from the right-handed Mahomes in the final minutes as he was about to get sacked on third and five at midfield, the Chiefs (4-0) took a two-game lead over the Broncos (2-2) in the AFC West with their sixth consecutive victory over their rivals.
Down 23-13 with 12:47 left, Mahomes directed a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ate up more than six minutes and culminated with a two-yard touchdown toss to tight end Travis Kelce, then added a 60-yard touchdown drive, handing off to Kareem Hunt for the four-yard score with 1:39 remaining.
On that last drive, Mahomes was getting dragged down by Von Miller when he shifted the ball to his left hand and threw it to Tyreek Hill for a first down.
“I didn’t know he threw it with his left hand,” Miller said. “He’s a great quarterback.”
Mahomes “worked real hard on that left-handed throw,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid cracked.
“Some amazing plays there,” he added. “We’ve seen it in practice but not under those conditions.”
It was the first time since 2004 that the Broncos blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead at home.
In between Kansas City’s scoring drives, the Broncos, who had run roughshod over the Chiefs all night — a 7.2yard average per run — suddenly abandoned their ground game in favor of three-wide receiver sets that resulted in a quick threeand-out that sent Denver’s exhausted defenders right back out.
“We ran the ball to control the game,” Broncos coach Vance Joseph said, “but you throw the ball to score.”
After the three-and-out, struggling Broncos punter Marquette King shanked a 35-yarder out of bounds, giving the Chiefs the ball at their 40 with 4:35 left.
“He’s got to perform better,” Joseph said. “We’re at home and it’s his job to flip the field. It ain’t happening.”