Roach's final sack flips AFC West as Broncos topple Chiefs 28-24
A late-game stop and a missed field goal allowed Denver to seize the division lead in a rain-soaked showdown at Empower Field.
By Kofi Costa ·
Malcolm Roach closed the game with a sack that erased a 24-13 deficit and handed the Denver Broncos control of the AFC West. The defensive end wrapped up Patrick Mahomes on the final play of the contest, a sixth-yard loss that preserved a 28-24 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The result snapped Kansas City’s winning streak and dropped their quarterback to an 80-3 record in fourth-quarter double-digit leads.
The Broncos have built a reputation for surviving tight finishes. They extended their winning streak in one-score games to 15 over the last two seasons. Coach Sean Payton marked his 200th career win with a performance he described as gritty. "Obviously a big win," Payton said. "And I'm proud of the grit."
The path to the win began in the fourth quarter when Denver trailed by 11 points. Bo Nix threw a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nate Adkins. Waddle converted the two-point try to bring the score to 24-21. The momentum shifted further when Kansas City kicker Harrison Butker missed a 54-yard field goal attempt wide right in steady rain. That miss came just 2.5 minutes before the final horn, following a six-yard sack by Alex Singleton.
Denver needed only two plays and 35 seconds to take the lead. Nix found rookie running back Jonah Coleman for a 51-yard gain. On the next snap, Coleman ran five yards for the touchdown. Nix recorded his 15th career game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime. He surpassed Dak Prescott for the most such drives in a quarterback's first three seasons since the 1970 merger.
The Chiefs mounted a final drive with under two minutes remaining. Emmett Johnson returned a kickoff 44 yards to start the sequence. Travis Kelce caught a 32-yard pass, and Kenneth Walker III gained ground with several runs. The ball reached the Denver one-yard line with 35 seconds left. Patrick Surtain II stopped Walker at the one-yard line after a three-yard gain on first down.
Mahomes threw an incomplete pass on second down after pressure from Que Robinson. On third down, third-string safety J.L. Skinner stuffed Walker for no gain. On fourth-and-goal, Mahomes threw to Rashee Rice over the middle. The play was wiped out by a false start penalty on right tackle Jaylon Moore. Payton called the penalty a tangible crowd win, noting the change in field position. Mahomes said he had to go with the call but felt the small stuff often goes uncalled in big moments.
On the do-over, Mahomes took the snap with four seconds left. Roach broke through the line alongside Nik Bonitto and smothered Mahomes for the final loss. Nix said he was thankful for the illegal shift that allowed the defense to snap again. The unit battled through the drive and came out on top.
The Broncos went three-and-out on all three drives in the third quarter. Nix completed 20 of 32 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Mahomes finished 30 of 41 for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Walker ran for 69 yards on 21 carries, a sharp drop from his 173-yard outing in the season opener. Bonitto called the game personal, citing the manner of the earlier loss. Injuries included Chiefs defensive lineman Peter Woods and Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine.
The Chiefs will host the New York Jets next Sunday. The Broncos will visit the Carolina Panthers in the same window. Denver will look to improve its third-down conversion rate, which stands at 10 of 48 over its last four wins.
