It wasn’t nice, however Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos are nonetheless in full management of the AFC.
Nix and the Broncos mounted a late landing drive on Thursday night time to seize a 20-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, wrapping up a three-game Christmas Day slate for the NFL. That win pushed them to 13-3 on the season, and now has them poised to win the AFC West for the primary time since 2015 — which was the final season that they received the Super Bowl. It additionally stored their benefit over the New England Patriots in the race for the highest seed in the AFC alive.
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The Broncos had to get previous Chris Oladokun, who was making his first profession begin in the NFL after each Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew each went down with season-ending knee accidents earlier this week. The Chiefs had nothing to play for, both, as they’ve already been eradicated from playoff rivalry for the primary time since 2014.
Though he solely accomplished 5 passes for 27 yards in the primary half, Oladokun held his personal. He didn’t make any actual errors in the opening two quarters of his first begin, and even threw a five-yard landing move to Brashard Smith early in the second quarter. That, paired with a number of nice stops deep in their very own territory, truly let the Chiefs enter the locker room at halftime with a one-point lead. The Broncos had to settle with only a pair of subject objectives after their drives repeatedly stalled out.
Finally, after an extended 14-play drive that lasted almost 10 full minutes in the third quarter, the Broncos took the lead once more. Nix scrambled into the tip zone himself from 9 yards out. By that time, the Broncos had greater than doubled Kansas City’s time of possession.
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Yet that lead didn’t final, as Harrison Butker drilled a 47-yard subject purpose early in the fourth quarter to tie the sport again up.
The Broncos, nonetheless, killed almost the whole remainder of the clock after that to put the sport to mattress. They almost had to accept a brief subject purpose within the two-minute warning, however obtained the Chiefs to soar on fourth down to give them a recent set.
Eventually, Nix discovered RJ Harvey in the again of the tip zone to full the 14-play drive and put the Broncos on prime for good. From there — though Oladokun led the Chiefs deep into Denver territory with a number of passes to Travis Kelce — the Chiefs picked up one final cease to seal their win.
Nix completed throwing 26-of-38 for 182 yards with a landing and an interception. He and Harvey every had 43 yards on the bottom, and Courtland Sutton led them via the air with 40 yards on 4 catches.
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Oladokun went 13-of-22 for 66 yards with a landing. Kareem Hunt had 38 yards on seven carries, and Kelce — in what might have been his final house recreation earlier than retirement — had 36 yards on 5 catches. The Chiefs, who’ve misplaced 5 straight, now maintain a 6-10 report.
The Broncos now will wait and see, and may doubtlessly clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC later this weekend if issues go their approach. They’ll win the division if the Houston Texans beat the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, too. Otherwise, the division will come down to subsequent weekend’s matchup between the 2 groups in Denver.
While it will doubtless take a greater exhibiting offensively towards the Chargers to finish the season on a win, the Broncos nonetheless obtained the job accomplished on Thursday night time. With playoff seeding on the road, that is all that issues.
Follow together with Yahoo Sports for dwell updates, highlights and extra because the Broncos and Chiefs shut out the NFL’s Christmas Day slate in primetime.
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Jack Baer
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Jack Baer
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Jack Baer
Bo Nix: 26-of-38, 182 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 76.9 passer score
RJ Harvey: 14 rushes, 43 dashing yards, 5 catches, 33 receiving yards, 1 receiving landing
Chris Oladokun: 13-of-22, 66 passing yards, 1 TD, 79 passer score
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Jack Baer
The Broncos sweep the Chiefs and are nonetheless alive in the search for the No. 1 seed in the AFC at 13-3. The Chiefs fall to 6-10 in what may very well be Travis Kelce’s ultimate recreation at Arrowhead Stadium.
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Jack Baer
Chris Oladokun overthrows Hollywood Brown and we’re accomplished right here.
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Jack Baer
Chris Oladokun hits Travis Kelce for a 14-yard acquire, then scrambles for one more seven. Less than 30 seconds left because the Chiefs attempt to pull off a miracle.
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Jack Baer
On Third-and-1 on the KC 44, Kareem Hunt breaks off a 14-yard run to enter Denver territory.
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Jack Baer
On Third-and-goal, Bo Nix finds RJ Harvey in the again of the tip zone and the Broncos take again the lead with 1:45 left. The Chiefs want a landing with 1:45 left and one timeout.
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Jack Baer
WOW. The Broncos line up for the direct snap with RJ Harvey, an apparent offside bait, and Chris Jones (!) falls for it. It’s 1st-and-goal for Denver with two minutes left.
That’s the Chiefs’ first penalty of the sport.
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Jack Baer
Nick Bolton comes up large to pressure 4th-and-2 for the Broncos. Now comes a big fourth-down resolution after the two-minute warning.
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Jack Baer
With 5:52 left and Third-and-10, Lil’Jordan Humphrey will get large open for a 17-yard acquire. That will get Denver into subject purpose vary and a recent set of downs.
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Jack Baer
The Broncos protection will get the cease, however Harrison Butker is sweet from 47 yards to tie this recreation. Given how a lot the KC offense has struggled to transfer the ball, that Brashard Smith return was large.
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Jack Baer
The Chiefs third-stringer hasn’t even damaged 50 yards, however he is had a pair good performs tonight.
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Jack Baer
Chris Jones takes down Bo Nix for a drive-killing sack and ends the Denver drive. Then Brashard Smith returns the ball 45 yards to put Kansas City already in putting distance.
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Jack Baer
The Chiefs obtained 5 yards from a neutral-zone infraction penalty and -1 yards from the remainder of the performs. The Broncos are on the verge of getting the ball again with the lead because the third quarter ends.
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Jack Baer
The Broncos convert on a 4th-and-inches, then Bo Nix runs in a nine-yard landing. Gutty drive by Denver to take the lead.
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Jack Baer
Facing 1st-and-20 after an OPI name on tight finish Evan Engram, the Broncos put up their longest play of the day with a 23-yard strike from Bo Nix to Courtland Sutton.
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Jack Baer
Harrison Butker is sweet from 53 yards out and it is a four-point lead for the Chiefs. They had been nearing the purple zone however a Dondrea Tillman sack ended up killing the drive.
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Jack Baer
The Chiefs QB scrambles, straight-up drops the ball on the run, then picks it up and hits JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 12-yard acquire. That’s his longest move of the sport.
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Jack Baer
Kansas City returns to the kick off to the 37 and we’re off in the third quarter.
