Denver Broncos
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Denver Post 6 hrs ago Joe Nguyen, Parker Gabriel, Kyle Newman, Sean Keeler, Mark Kiszla, Matt Schubert
Looking to snap a four-game losing streak, the Broncos (3-9) are hosting AFC West rival Kansas City on Sunday, a team that has beaten them 13 times in a row. Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver takes on the Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High.
Live updates Fourth-quarter updates
Ballgame (5:16 p.m.): And Isiah Pacheco puts the game away, running over a pair of Broncos tacklers for a first-down run. A game effort from the home team, but you just can’t spot your opponent 27 points. Chiefs will win 34-38. — Matt Schubert
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All comes down to this (5:15 p.m.): It’s two-minute warning time, and the Chiefs have the ball at the Broncos 44. With no timeouts left and its QB out, Denver needs a miracle. — Matt Schubert
Wilson injury update (5:08 p.m.): Broncos announce Russell Wilson is out with a concussion. — Matt Schubert
Hot potato (5:05 p.m.): And then Brett Rypien gives it right back, with his flailing duck getting intercepted by the Chiefs after he got lit up on the blind side. — Matt Schubert
Patrick Mahomes added a sweet TD pass to his career highlight reel today, but he’s also thrown three INTs on three very poor throws. Josey Jewell has two of them, the latest of which set Broncos up for another chance to take the lead… or not. Chris Jones’ hit on Brett Rypien forces an INT. — Kyle Newman
Josey Jewell, pick No. 2 (5:02 p.m.): The Outlaw and his magical hands. Josey Jewell picked off Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the second time today. — Joe Nguyen
Josey Jewell. All time hoss. Second interception of the day has the Broncos in business at midfield. — Matt Schubert
Three and out (4:57 p.m.): The Broncos defense is doing its part keeping Denver in the game. They forced a three-and-out, including a scrimmage line stand on third-and-1. Denver will begin on its own 5-yard line with Brett Rypien under center. — Joe Nguyen
It’s Broncos ball at their own 5 with 8:33 to go. Time to be a hero, Brett Rypien. — Matt Schubert
Wilson injury update (4:50 p.m.): Wilson has gone back to the locker room. Not a good sign for his potential return to this game. — Matt Schubert
Hat trick (4:48 p.m.): Mikko Rantanen wasn’t the only Colorado pro sports star with a hat trick today. Jerry Jeudy caught his third touchdown of the game, a strike from backup Brett Rypien, to cut Kansas City’s lead to 34-28. — Joe Nguyen
Jerry Jeudy is having the game of his life! On fourth-and-goal at the Chiefs 7, the 2020 first round pick caught his third TD of the game streaking across the back of the end zone. And the QB who made the throw? None other than Brett Rypien, who came in for Russell Wilson after he was shaken up on a first-down run. 34-28, Chiefs with 10:40 to go. — Matt Schubert
Russell Wilson hurt (4:44 p.m.): The Broncos were pushed back on second-and-34, but a big 23-yard catch by Greg Dulcich and a 14-yard scramble by Wilson got them the first down. Wilson was hurt on the play and went into the blue tent. — Joe Nguyen
Fourth and a prayer (4:38 p.m.): On fourth-and-2 and down 13, the Broncos went for it. Russell Wilson went deep to Jerry Jeudy. It didn’t connect, but the pass interference call puts Denver at the KC 15. — Joe Nguyen
Third-quarter analysis — Chiefs 34, Broncos 21
Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Denver put together its most explosive stretch of offensive football of the season and seems likely to lose by multiple scores. For all the good from Russell Wilson today, he still holds on to the ball far too long. Wilson’s been sacked six times today and three of them should have been, at worst, throwaways.
Sean Keeler, columnist: The Broncos put up 21 points in 3:32. Context: they’d posted 20 points, combined, over their previous 133 minutes of football — a stretch dating back two weeks. So Nathaniel Hackett’s got that going for him …(Cue Bill Murray voice) … which is nice. But this offense, on its best day — and this just might be that best day — ain’t built to win a shootout with Sheriff Mahomes.
Mark Kiszla, columnist: The Broncos scored three straight touchdowns against the Chiefs! Heck, the miracle is the Broncos scored three TDs in a single game! Give Coach Huggy Bear a hug. And a game ball!
Third-quarter updates
Chiefs strike back (4:31 p.m.): Well, that was fun while it lasted. Patrick Mahomes pulls another rabbit out of his hat, finding Juju Smith-Schuster for a 4-yard TD throw in the end zone on third and goal. 34-21, Chiefs with 38 seconds left in the third quarter.
Mahomes danced around in the pocket for nearly five seconds before finding Smith-Schuster all alone in the end zone. — Matt Schubert
Four for 11 (4:20 p.m.): Another Broncos punt. And the boo birds have returned to Empower Field. Getting fickle, this bunch. — Matt Schubert
Four for 10 (4:11 p.m.): Broncos three-and-out. There’s the Denver offense we know and don’t love. — Matt Schubert
Cooooooop (4:06 p.m.): Jonathon Cooper sacks Mahomes off the edge on third down, and we’ve got ourselves a Chiefs three-and-out. It’s Broncos ball and they can take the lead on this drive. How is this life?!?!?! — Matt Schubert
Season high (4:05 p.m.): Russell Wilson now has a season high with three TD passes today; the only other time he’s thrown more than one was two against Las Vegas in Week 4. — Kyle Newman
Mack trucks (4:02 p.m.): Broncos are back in the game after Russell Wilson’s screen pass to Marlon Mack goes for a 66-yard touchdown on the opening possession of the third quarter. Denver still trails 27-21, but the home crowd is re-energized. — Kyle Newman
For the record, that is the second touchdown scored by the Broncos offense in the third quarter this season. Yes … this season. — Matt Schubert
Four for nine (3:59 p.m.): As Parker Gabriel reported earlier, this is the first time since Oct. 2 that the Broncos have converted on four third downs. — Joe Nguyen
O-line adjustments (3:58 p.m.): Broncos make another change at left guard to start the second half; Netane Muti is out, Quinn Bailey is in. Rookie Luke Wattenberg started before being pulled. — Kyle Newman
Halftime analysis — Chiefs 27, Broncos 14
Parker Gabriel, beat writer: This was trending toward an embarrassing outing for the Broncos until Josey Jewell picked off Patrick Mahomes. That sparked a pair of Russell Wilson TD passes to Jerry Jeudy around a Pat Surtain II pick, all in the final 1:35 of the half. Now the Broncos start with the ball. They’ve been notoriously bad in the third quarter, but if they go down and score to open the second half this afternoon, it’ll get interesting.
Sean Keeler, columnist: Will the defense’s team photo in the end zone be the most embarrassing moment of another shameful afternoon? Or the snapshot that brought the Broncos back to life after a 27-0 defiicit? Two takeaways just lit a fire under a team that was a bunch of dead men walking. One request: Could someone OTHER than Hackett do the third-quarter game plan? And someone OTHER than Russ give the third-quarter pep talk?
Mark Kiszla, columnist: At the half, Patrick Mahomes’ QB rating: 87.1; Russell Wilson’s QB rating: 87.0. They’re the same quarterback!
Kyle Newman, beat writer: The Broncos head into the half with some false hope, because let’s be real, any talk of an actual comeback is going to be rendered moot by Patrick Mahomes, who is probably not too pleased with himself for those pair of second-quarter interceptions. Also: The chance Denver is able to get two more offensive touchdowns in the second half is… small.
Matt Schubert, deputy sports editor: We have life at Empower Field. The most depressing 25 minutes of Broncos football this season were followed by the most uplifting five. Is an amazing comeback on tap? Probably not. But at least this game is actually interesting again.
Second-quarter updates
Another touchdown for Denver (3:41 p.m.): Jerry Jeudy AGAIN with a touchdown. Credit to Russell Wilson, who went through several reads to find Jeudy all alone on the other side of the field. We got ourselves a ballgame, folks. 27-14, Chiefs with 9 seconds left in the first half. — Matt Schubert
O-line shift (3:39 p.m.): Netane Muti is in at left guard for Broncos in place of rookie Luke Wattenberg, who has struggled in his NFL debut. Starter Dalton Risner, who had played every snap out the season up to this week, is inactive with shoulder/back injuries. — Kyle Newman
Run, Russell, run (3:39 p.m.): Rejuvenated Russ has the Broncos driving. Two scrambles for big gains, and the Broncos are back in business. — Matt Schubert
PS2 picks off Mahomes (3:35 p.m.): Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II dove and picked off Patrick Mahomes. Denver will get the ball at their own 40-yard line with 1:06 to go in the half. — Joe Nguyen
Pat Surtain II just made one of the more impressive interceptions you will ever see. That TWO picks of Patrick Mahomes in the last two drives. Maybe the Broncos aren’t dead yet? — Matt Schubert
Mahomes sacked (3:31 p.m.): Baron Browning sacks Patrick Mahomes for a 3-yard loss. — Joe Nguyen
Broncos score (3:29 p.m.): Broncos turn a Josey Jewell pick into an 18-yard TD pass, Russell Wilson to Jerry Jeudy, the receiver’s first score since London. Chiefs still lead 27-7 with 1:35 left in the first half. — Kyle Newman
Josey Jewell interception (3:23 p.m.): The Broncos linebacker looked a receiver after he snatched the pass attempt from Patrick Mahomes. Denver gets the ball back.
Three for eight (3:21 p.m.): The Broncos respond on the next drive with a quick three-and-out. — Joe Nguyen
Pick-6 (3:17 p.m.): Willie Gay just emasculated Russell Wilson on fourth-and-2, picking of a screen pass, stiff-arming Russ to the ground and then rumbling for a touchdown. It’s 27-0 Chiefs. This is officially butt whoopin’. — Matt Schubert
And we have Image of The Season, Part II. Hey, at least Russ TRIED to make the tackle. — Sean Keeler
Mike Boone injury (3:14 p.m.): Mike Boone just got carted off the field with all of the Broncos coming up and offering their best wishes. Can’t be a good sign for the backup RB. — Matt Schubert
The lead gets bigger (3:08 p.m.): Travis Kelce had two drops on this drive alone, but the Chiefs score anyways, on a screen to Jerick McKinnon that goes 10 yards for a TD. Chiefs up 20-0. — Kyle Newman
Cooper injury update (3:06 p.m.): Jonathon Cooper is back in the game for the Broncos. — Kyle Newman
Injury updates (3:04 p.m.): Jones is back in the game. But now Jonathon Cooper gets shaken up on a play. And the Chiefs are driving. — Matt Schbuert
Dre’Mont Jones injury (2:55 p.m.): Because only bad news is allowed today for the Broncos, Dre’Mont Jones is now down on the field. — Matt Schubert
Jones flashed the thumbs-up sign to his defensive teammates as he walked off the field. — Parker Gabriel
Three for six (2:50 p.m.): This is somehow worse than I thought it was going to be. Luke Wattenberg is STRUGGLING with a Chiefs sack punctuating a Broncos three-and-out. — Matt Schubert
Chris Jones just tossed Luke Wattenberg aside for a stuff of Mike Boone on second down. Then Jones burned the rookie again on third down for an 8-yard loss. — Kyle Newman
The Chiefs are now taking I-60, The Wattenberg Turnpike, straight to Russ. Pass the gin. — Sean Keeler
That play (2:45 p.m.): The dam just burst.
Mahomes’ TD pass left the Broncos defense staring up at the sky, wondering why, and players on the Denver sideline shaking their heads. — Kyle Newman
Patrick Mahomes just nonchalantly threw the most insane 56-yard touchdown pass you will ever see. That might be game. — Matt Schubert
Annnnnnnnnd it’s time for the cheap gin. — Sean Keeler
First-quarter analysis — Chiefs 6, Broncos 0
Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Settling for field goals typically isn’t a recipe to win, but it might be enough for Kansas City today. And the bet here is they won’t have to worry about it anyway, given the way they’re moving the ball so far.
Sean Keeler, columnist: Ah, the heady days of The Drew Lock Era. Remember those? Was it THAT long ago? Over the last three Week 14s, in ’19, in ’20 and in ‘21, the Broncos came out of the first quarter with leads of 14-0, 6-0 and 14-0, respectively. Collective margin: Denver 34, Other Saps Nil. Let the nostalgia wash over you. Like a bottle of cheap gin. Flash forward to the present, and it’s the Broncos with 37 yards as a team and Travis Kelce with 59 yards. By himself.
Mark Kiszla, columnist: Broncos hold Patrick Mahomes to nothing more than two field goals. Why do I think there will be some Mahomes coming shortly?
Kyle Newman, beat writer: The dam is about to burst on this game. It will be out of reach by the end of half and quickly en route to a blowout in the third quarter. Unless Russell Wilson wants to prove me wrong, but I won’t hold my breath.
Matt Schubert, deputy sports editor: The good news: The Broncos got a little better on third down. The bad news: They haven’t gotten better at scoring points.
First-quarter updates
Screen woes (2:36 p.m.): The play sheet with the Broncos’ wide receiver screen sets should be lit on fire and fired into the sun. — Matt Schubert
Three for five (2:36 p.m.): Luke Wattenberg, making his first NFL start at left guard in place of the injured Dalton Risner, got toasted for a sack by Mike Danna. That 9-yard loss set the drive back on first down, and the Broncos had to punt after going three-and-out. — Kyle Newman
Another field goal (2:31 p.m.): Tack on another field goal for the Chiefs. Two drives, six points. All things considered, that’s not a terrible result for the Broncos defense. (Provided, of course, the Broncos offense can score a touchdown or two.) — Matt Schubert
Kelce hits 1K, 10K (2:29 p.m.): With Travis Kelce’s 38-yard catch in the first quarter against the Broncos, the Chiefs tight end goes over the 1,000-yard mark for a seventh straight season. He also passes the 10,000-yard mark for his career. — Kyle Newman
Three for four (2:24 p.m.): The Broncos pass up a chance at what would have been about a 61-yard field goal attempt, punting instead to end a promising first drive that featured three third-down conversions.
Any hopes of Corliss Waitman pinning Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs deep inside their own territory go unfulfilled, however, after Waitman’s sloppy punt goes into the end zone for a touchback. The punt netted 23 yards. — Kyle Newman
Three for three (2:20 p.m.): The Broncos are now 3 for 3 on third down. Somebody break up the Broncos. — Matt Schubert
Broncos have three third-down conversions on this opening drive. They haven’t had more than four in a game with Wilson at QB since Oct. 2. — Parker Gabriel
Two for two (2:19 p.m.): Make that TWO third-and-long conversions for Kendall Hinton. That guy just gets first downs. — Matt Schubert
Third-down conversion (2:17 p.m.): On their first third down of the day, Russell Wilson finds Kendall Hinton on an out route to convert third-and-9. Not to put the cart before the horse, but that’s a solid development for this battered and bruised Broncos offense. — Matt Schubert
First strike (2:13 p.m.): Harrison Butker’s 35-yard field goal on the opening possession of the game puts the Chiefs up 3-0. If high-powered KC averages a field goal per possession, they should cover the 9.5-point spread easily. — Kyle Newman
Coin toss (2:05 p.m.): Denver wins the toss and, surprise, elect to kick it. — Joe Nguyen
Pregame updates
Rookie starts (1:38 p.m.): Rookie OL Luke Wattenberg took reps with the No. 1 OL in warmups in Dalton Risner’s place. Looked like practice squad-er Netane Muti got a couple of snaps, too. But think based on warm-ups that Wattenberg will get his first career start. — Parker Gabriel
Inactives (12:38 p.m.): Broncos inactives today include four injured players in LG Dalton Risner, WR Courtland Sutton, TE Andrew Beck and LB Dakota Allen. DL Eyioma Uwazurike was added to the injury report yesterday with an illness and is inactive, too. The healthy scratches: CB Michael Ojemudia and DL Elijah Garcia, who was just signed off the Rams’ practice squad this week.
We’ll see if TE Albert Okweugbunam is involved in the offense today. — Parker Gabriel
Pregame festivities (12:15 p.m.): It’s a sparse and sad tailgate scene out around Empower Field, especially comparative to the Russ Mania that engulfed the stadium in September. And there’s a lot of smiling people in red jerseys out here, too. — Kyle Newman
O-line shuffle (12:10 p.m.): One thing to watch today for the Broncos is how they roll out their offensive line. Left guard Dalton Risner is not expected to play with a shoulder/back injury, meaning Denver will have its eighth different starting lineup of the season. They telegraphed Risner’s absence by calling up guard Netane Muti from the practice squad and could just plug him into Risner’s spot. Or they could play rookie Luke Wattenberg at that spot, too. Less likely that they’d shuffle Graham Glasgow to guard considering he’s been a stabilizing force at center the past few weeks in Lloyd Cushenberry’s absence. Risner missing today will make all five preseason starters for the Broncos that have missed at least one game to injury. — Parker Gabriel
Home, sweet home? (12:08 p.m.): Good afternoon from Empower Field, where the Broncos are playing just their second home game since Oct. 24. Last time Denver took the field here, Davante Adams caught a walk-off touchdown in overtime. Now, Kansas City and quarterback Patrick Mahomes come to town as two-score road favorites. The NFL’s top-scoring offense has great December conditions today, too. There’s a substantial breeze up high blowing from the Southwest, but it’s 55 and mostly sunny. — Parker Gabriel
Scouting report (noon): Check out how the Broncos match up with the Ravens in Kyle Newman’s scouting report.
Post predictions
Mark Kiszla, columnist: Chiefs 27, Broncos 17
Beat Kansas City and end a 13-game losing streak to the Chiefs? No way. The real question is if the Broncos can win any other game remaining on their schedule. With a blowout loss to the Chiefs, I wonder if general manager George Paton’s search for a new coach would officially begin on Monday.
Kyle Newman, beat writer: Chiefs 30, Broncos 10
Unless Patrick Mahomes gets lost on the way to the stadium, this one’s over before it even starts. The Broncos defense may hold off Mahomes & Co. for the first quarter or so, but after that, the dam breaks — and the boos rain down from the home crown. Denver only manages one touchdown, in garbage time, and Mahomes sits the final stretch of the blowout.
Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Chiefs 30, Broncos 13
The only tough part about making this pick is the score, considering even a relatively competitive afternoon can get lopsided given Kansas City’s propensity for scoring touchdowns in bunches. Betting the defense will hang in for a while and it won’t be nearly enough. Offensively, it’s tough to pick Denver to score multiple touchdowns when they’ve failed to do so 10 times in 12 outings.
Sean Keeler, columnist: Chiefs 25, Broncos 13
Will a blowout loss or 15,000 no-shows at Empower Field force the Walton-Penner Group to get off their billion-dollar duffs? Because the former is sure as heck possible this week. And with the Cards and Bolts rolling into town, the latter feels inevitable.
Broncos-Chiefs NFL Week 14: Must reads Broncos went all-in with Russell Wilson to end Chiefs’ dominance, but the gap just keeps widening
By the time the holiday season arrived in 2018, Patrick Mahomes had already taken the NFL by storm.
Fast forward four years and Mahomes and Russell Wilson will meet for the first time since that game. Mahomes has engineered a dominant era in Kansas City, winning four division titles and a Super Bowl. In March the Broncos traded four premium draft picks, three players and gave Wilson a $245 million contract extension to try to put an end to that run in the AFC West.
Wilson’s arrival signaled a challenge to Kansas City, which appeared positioned to come back to the pack after trading away top receiver Tyreek Hill and losing defensive standout Tyrann Mathieu in free agency.
But there has been no threat to the Chiefs’ reign from the Front Range. Just the opposite, in fact. Read the full story. — Parker Gabriel
Brandon McManus looks to improve on field goals from 50-plus down stretch of 2022: “I expect myself to make them.”
Broncos kicker Brandon McManus has been battling a quad issue the past couple of weeks, but he insists the injury hasn’t affected his kicking and won’t be an issue Sunday against the Chiefs.
McManus is 17 of 19 on field goals inside the 50 this year, with both misses being blocks. He is 6 of 11 from beyond 50, including missed game-winning kicks in the waning seconds of Week 1 in Seattle (64-yarder wide left) and last week in Baltimore (a 63-yarder just short).
Denver special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes said he expects McManus to be fine to kick this weekend, though he left the door open for the possibility that punter Corliss Waitman might handle kickoff duties. McManus didn’t practice Wednesday, was limited Thursday and then full on Friday. Read the full story. — Kyle Newman
Broncos defense gets lift ahead of Chiefs matchup with return of nickel K’Waun Williams: “It means a lot”
K’Waun Williams’ impact on Denver’s defense this year is no surprise to veteran safety Kareem Jackson.
“I watch a lot of ball, not just us, so I’ve just kind of admired his game from afar,” the 13-year NFL veteran told The Post on Friday. “I’ve always known he was a great player and the type of skill set that he possesses.”
The Broncos’ defense has been among the NFL’s best this season and has held its own the past three weeks without Williams, the do-it-all nickel, but will be happy to welcome him back from a knee injury Sunday against Kansas City. Williams was a full participant in practice Friday and did not have an injury designation on the Broncos’ final report of the week, meaning he’s been cleared to play.
Williams, an eighth-year pro, has been an unsung but key member of Denver’s stout defense, but he’s clearly earned the respect of his coaches and teammates. Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero last week said simply of Williams, “He’s a hell of a player,” and the first-year coordinator deploys him as such. Read the full story. — Parker Gabriel