Mahomes hurt as Kansas City routs Denver
Reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes injured his right knee in a pileup near the goal line before his Kansas City Chiefs teammates rallied around their fallen superstar for a 30-6 thrashing of the Denver Broncos on Thursday night.
Backup QB Matt Moore threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs (5-2) had nine sacks, gave up a season-low 71 yards rushing and snapped a two-game skid in beating the Broncos (2-5) for the eighth straight time.
His balky left ankle heavily taped, Mahomes completed 10 of 11 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown before he got hurt on a successful sneak on fourth-andinches at the Denver 5 early in the second quarter.
One by one, players peeled off the pile but when Mahomes didn’t get up , the stadium grew quiet, Broncos players knelt and some Chiefs stormed away in aguish as their quarterback ripped off his helmet and covered his face.
As players milled about nervously, the Chiefs’ medical personnel appeared to pop Mahomes’ right knee back in place before he was helped from the field and taken into the locker room. The Chiefs announced minutes later that Mahomes had a knee injury and wouldn’t return.
The Broncos had won two straight after a winless September and were hoping to turn the AFC West upside down by handling the Chiefs their third straight loss.
Coming in, the Chiefs were ranked 24th in the league with 11 sacks and they’d allowed an average of 190 yards rushing over their previous four games.
But the Chiefs sacked Joe Flacco a career-high eight times, held Denver to 1 of 13 on third downs and benefited from Denver’s poor special teams play and curious calls by coach Vic Fangio.
CHARGERS OL OKUNG BACK ON FIELD »
Chargers left tackle Russell Okung said he is ready to return from the pulmonary embolism that has sidelined him since June.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day for several weeks and I’m excited to officially announce that I will be back to football as early as Week 7,” the 32-year-old posted on Twitter.
A two-time Pro Bowl selection, Okung has been on the reserve/non-football injury list throughout the Chargers’ disappointing 2-4 start.
It wasn’t immediately clear when Okung would rejoin practice or whether he would be activated for Sunday’s game at Tennessee.
DUBIOUS RECORD LOOMS FOR DOLPHINS »
Forty-seven years since the Miami Dolphins posted the only undefeated season in NFL history, the team is heading toward an ignominious record.
The Dolphins are 0- 5 and on pace to score only 134 points, which would be the fewest by any team in a 16-game season in the 100year history of the NFL. The 1992 Seattle Seahawks scored 140 and were 2-14.
The 2008 Lions and 2017 Browns are the only teams to finish 0-16. The Dolphins have six games remaining against teams that are currently 2- 4 or worse. JETS LB MOSLEY READY TO GO » New York Jets linebacker C. J. Mosley says he will play Monday night against the New England Patriots barring any setbacks at practice this week.
Mosley has been sidelined since injuring his groin during the third quarter of the Jets’ season-opening loss to Buffalo. He participated in individual drills Thursday for the first time in his recovery process.
Mosley’s return should be a huge boost to the Jets’ defense. CARDINALS’ PETERSON BACK AFTER SUSPENSION » Cornerback Patrick Peterson returned to the Arizona Cardinals after serving a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancers.
Peterson, a three-time All-Pro, said he spent a big chunk of his suspension training at 7,000 feet of altitude in the mountains in Flagstaff, about two hours north of Phoenix. He would simulate games each week, placing cones around the field and mirroring different routes, like he would defend on the field.
“It should be a great 10game season for me,” Peterson said. “I’m planning on this being the best 10 games I’ve played in my career.”