The Denver Broncos rallied from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24, moving to 6-2 and claiming first place in the AFC West. The win marked Denver's fourth straight victory after a brutal early schedule that included two games against the Chiefs as well as matchups with the Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks. The comeback showcased heroic efforts from both offense and defense and offered several clear lessons about both teams.
1. Bo Nix's fourth-quarter magic is inexplicable ... and incredible
Through three quarters, Nix was 15-for-26 for 153 yards with just seven first-down completions and one third-down conversion in eight attempts. The home crowd booed as consecutive drives stalled. Then the fourth quarter arrived: Nix went 5-for-6 for 84 yards, capitalizing on two coverage busts for touchdowns to Nate Adkins and Jonah Coleman. Since entering the NFL in 2024, Nix has recorded 15 game-winning drives (most ever in a quarterback's first three seasons) and 12 fourth-quarter comebacks (tied with Derek Carr). The Broncos have averaged 8.1 points per fourth quarter under Nix, the highest rate for any starting quarterback since at least 1950. CBS analysts Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt noted Nix himself couldn't explain his late-game exploits, but starting slow and finishing strong is a winning formula.
2. The Broncos' run defense has improved significantly
Denver's defense set the stage for the comeback. In Week 1, Kenneth Walker III rushed for 173 yards against the Broncos with 24 missed tackles and 7.8 yards per carry after contact. In Week 8, despite 16 missed tackles, Walker managed just 2.1 yards after contact per carry and 69 total yards. Season-long trends show progress: yards per rush dropped from 4.8 (Weeks 1-4) to 4.2 (Weeks 5-8), explosive runs fell from 11 to 8, and yards after contact per rush decreased from 4.1 to 3.1.
3. Andy Reid's late-game management remains suspect
Up three with under three minutes left, Patrick Mahomes took a damaging sack on third down. On fourth-and-8 from the Denver 36, Reid chose a field goal attempt; Harrison Butker missed wide right. Butker is now 2-for-7 from 50+ yards this season. The decision was questionable: a field goal would have made it a six-point game, giving Denver an extra down because only a touchdown would tie. Going for it on fourth down might have been wiser, especially with Mahomes converting 50% of his career fourth-and-8 to fourth-and-12 attempts. Butker's unreliability and the rainy conditions made the kick even riskier.
4. Patrick Mahomes got the passing game back on track, but he needs help
Mahomes was outstanding: 30-for-41, 321 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions, two sacks, and a 0.16 EPA per dropback — his best since Week 3. On third down he was 6-for-10 for 113 yards and a touchdown, converting third-and-10 and third-and-12. However, the Chiefs' receiving corps lacks downfield threats. Leading receiver was running back Emmett Johnson (5 catches, 128 yards). Travis Kelce had 5 catches for 67 yards; Rashee Rice 7 catches for 53 yards. Since Tyquan Thornton's injury, Mahomes has zero completions of 20+ yards in three games, matching the longest such streak of his career. Kansas City must add a deep threat — whether a big name like George Pickens or a smaller acquisition — to open up the offense and aid the run game.
5. Young running backs shine
Both teams' mid-round rookie backs exceeded complementary roles. Jonah Coleman led Denver with 11 carries for 41 yards, 63 receiving yards, and the game-winning touchdown. With RJ Harvey out, Coleman looks like a lead back. Emmett Johnson added a 15-yard carry, a 44-yard kick return, and a 73-yard touchdown reception, consistently making tacklers miss. The Chiefs cannot rely solely on Kenneth Walker; Johnson should continue seeing significant action.
