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by Bob Gretz

It was another one of those games that have been so typical for the Chiefs in the last two months. They game was in doubt down to the final five minutes and they were one play or one stop by the defense away from victory, but the Chiefs couldn’t find that game-turning play in a 24-17 loss to Denver at INVESCO Field.

QB Tyler Thigpen’s fourth-down scramble from the Denver five-yard line was stopped inches shy of the goal line, ending the last threat the Chiefs had of tying the score with 4:35 left in the game. The Broncos held the ball for 36:38 and racked up 27 first downs, 425 yards in offense and three touchdowns, including two from WR Brandon Marshall.

The teams traded possessions to open the game, but the Chiefs had the advantage with better field position thanks to a pair of nice returns in the kicking game. RB Jamaal Charles took the opening kickoff back 40 yards and WR Kevin Robinson had a 32-yard punt return that gave the Chiefs possession at their 49-yard line. It was the longest punt return in the last 42 games for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs offense drove 39 yards on six plays to set up the first score of the game, a 26-yard FG by K Connor Barth. The key play in the drive was a 34-yard bobbling completion from Thigpen to WR Dwayne Bowe. The Denver defense held them out of the end zone and after Barth’s FG, the Chiefs lead 3-0.

That margin would grow just a few plays later. The Broncos had a third-and-four at their own 25-yard line when QB Jay Cutler looked to his right for WR Brandon Stokely. But rookie CB Maurice Leggett jumped the route, picked off the pass and returned it 27 yards for his second touchdown as many weeks to give the Chiefs an early 10-0 lead.

Denver finally got its offense together just as the first period was ending, picking up five first downs, but not hitting any play for more than 18 yards. That long play was a touchdown run by rookie RB Peyton Hillis who ran through the right side of the Chiefs nickel defense untouched for a TD to cut the lead to 10-7.

The Chiefs came right back with a long, impressive scoring drive, as the offense kept the ball for 17 plays, moved 80 yards and chewed up 7:24 of the first-half clock. The score came on a 13-yard TD pass from Thigpen to TE Tony Gonzalez. The big plays in the drive came included the third play of the possession when officials ruled Thipgen had thrown an interception to Denver LB Wesley Woodyard. But Herm Edwards challenged the play and the review showed that Woodyard never had possession of the ball before WR Jeff Webb ripped it out of his hands. The play was called an incomplete pass.

Two plays later, Thigpen kept the ball on a fourth-and-one run and picked up the first down by inches in Chiefs territory. The Chiefs then converted three third-down plays, the last one a nice three-yard sweep by Johnson. That set up first-and-10 at the Denver 13-yard line. Thigpen ran the bootleg to his right and found Gonzalez open at the goal line covered by CB Josh Bell. Gonzalez made the catch and ran over the pylon for the score to give the Chiefs a 17-7 lead. It would be Kansas City’s final score of the afternoon.

Denver answered back with a long drive of its own, going 80 yards on 14 plays and using 6:57 of the second quarter. The Broncos picked up four first downs in the possession with the big play coming on a 21-yard Cutler-to-Marshall throw on third down. The touchdown came from that same connection, on a third-and-goal play at the Chiefs 12-yard line, as Marshall got away from S Jarrad Page and behind CB Brandon Carr to catch the TD throw in the corner of the end zone that sliced the Chiefs lead to 17-14 at intermission.

Denver got initial possession of the second half and the Broncos put together another long drive, going 66 yards on 12 plays and using 6:43 off the clock. Cutler moved the sticks five times, setting up a first-and-10 at the Kansas City 17-yard line. But the Chiefs defense stiffened, giving up just two yards on three plays. Prater’s 33-yard FG tied the score at 17-17.

On its next possession the Chiefs offense drove to the Denver 33-yard line thanks in large part to a 24-yard completion from Thigpen to Gonzalez. Kansas City moved backwards from there as RB Larry Johnson reversed field and lost seven yards and the club was flagged for a false start. The ensuing punt by P Dustin Colquitt went for a touchback and Denver took over at its 20-yard line.

The Broncos drove to the Chiefs 31-yard line, but could not convert the trip into points as Prater’s 48-yard FG went wide right. Late in the third quarter, the Broncos started a drive at their five-yard line after a nice 56-yard punt by Colquitt. Cutler took his team 95 yards on 12 plays, picking up five first downs and holding the ball for just a few seconds more than six minutes. The big play in the drive was a 28-yard run by RB Tatum Bell, who had stepped in for the injured Hillis. Four plays after Bell’s run, Cutler and Marshall connected on a six-yard wide receiver screen to the right side for the score as Denver enjoyed its first lead of the game at 24-17.

The Chiefs offense came on the field and in eight plays was set up for a first-and-goal at the Denver 10-yard line. On first down, a Thigpen pass from Bowe fell incomplete. On second down, Thigpen ran a QB draw for five yards. On third down a pass for Bowe in the end zone was incomplete. Then on fourth-and-goal from the five-yard line, Thigpen dropped back to pass, felt pressure on his outside and took off running up the middle. He was stopped inside the one-yard line and Denver took over on downs. The Broncos were able to convert a pair of third downs to keep the ball and kill the clock.

The Chiefs will be back at Arrowhead Stadium next to host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, December 14. Kickoff is noon.