Broncos at Chiefs second quarter recap

The Denver Broncos go into halftime up 14-10 over the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Denver Broncos began the second quarter outside the Kansas City Chiefs ten yard line facing a second down from the eleven. After a short completion, the Broncos faced a third and five from the six yard line. Bo Nix found Devaughn Vele open at the goal line for the first score of the game capping a 9 play, 80 yard drive.

Broncos 7, Chiefs 0.

That score woke Mahomes and the Chiefs up and quickly streaked across midfield to the Broncos 40 yard line after finding DeAndre Hopkins for a first down reception. On a second and 5, Nik Bonitto flew around the edge and nearly sacked Mahomes, but he was able to throw the ball away. Mahomes would convert the third down on a 12-yard pass to get the Chiefs into field goal range.

The Broncos defense was able to force a field goal after stymying Mahomes on three straight plays from the Broncos 25 yard line.

Broncos 7, Chiefs 3.

Audric Estime kicked off the Broncos next drive with a 10 yard gain up the middle. Nix then hit Lil’Jordan Humphrey outside who turned it up field for a 20-yard gain to the Chiefs 41-yard line.

Two plays later, they faced a third and one. Nix lobbed a pass to Courtland Sutton deep down the sideline for a 32-yard touchdown reception to blow the game wide open.

Broncos 14, Chiefs 3.

With a sense of urgent, Mahomes and the Chiefs woke up. On their first play, he found Travis Kelce wide open for a 24-yard gain across midfield. Two plays later they entered field goal range, but a Jonathon Cooper sacked Mahomes to force a third and nine. Another sack, by Nik Bonitto, was called back the to a defensive holding call.

Timely automatic first down for the refs.

That help by the refs on a third and long would catapult the Chiefs to a touchdown. The fix appeared to be in with that call, but good teams overcome bad officiating.

Broncos 14, Chiefs 10.

Denver used a few timeouts to preserve time in the hopes of putting up a score before halftime. Nix wasted no time finding Courtland Sutton for a first down out to the 40 with just over a minute to go. Another completion to midfield sent the clock under a minute.

They got near field goal range after a 14-yard pass to Devaughn Vele with 14 seconds left. Sutton was wide open for a big gain under 10 seconds and he dropped it to force Wil Lutz to attempt a 60 yard field goal before halftime. It was well short.