Chiefs block Broncos’ potential winner as time expires, remain perfect on season

The Chiefs have won just about every way imaginable during a perfect 15-game run that dates to last season: Patrick Mahomes leading last-second touchdown drives, their defense making a stand, and Harrison Butker kicking game-winning field goals.

They added a walk-off block to the list against the Broncos on Sunday.

Leo Chenal was part of a red wave that crashed through the center of the Denver field goal unit, and the Chiefs linebacker got his hand on Wil Lutz’s 35-yard attempt as time expired, allowing Kansas City to escape with a 16-14 victory.

“It’s a complete shock, you know? Not much I can say about it,” Chenal said. “I was really praying for something to happen. That moment is so heavy. There’s a second on the clock, they’re going to kick a field goal and you feel the weight of the moment.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid indicated they took advantage of something they had seen in the Broncos’ field-goal operation.

“We did,” Reid said, “but it’s also something we work on like crazy. It normally doesn’t work quite like that one.”

The Chiefs had taken the lead on Butker’s field goal with 5:57 remaining, but Bo Nix and the Broncos converted a trio of third downs while marching right back down the field. They proceeded to set up Lutz for the winner, but Chenal came up the middle amid a big push by the Kansas City defensive line to get his hand on the kick.

The ball squibbed away toward the Denver sideline as the Chiefs rushed onto the field to celebrate.

“I felt like we outplayed them but we didn’t finish,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “That one will take a while. It’ll sting.”

Mahomes finished with 266 yards passing and a touchdown for the Chiefs, who became only the fifth Super Bowl champion to win its first nine games the next season. That also matches the best start to a season in franchise history, and their 15-game win streak dating to last season is the longest in the NFL since the Packers won 19 in a row from 2010-11.

Travis Kelce had eight catches for 64 yards…

Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/chiefs-block-broncos-potential-winner-time-expires-remain-perfect-season

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Publish date : 2024-11-10 23:07:59

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