Chiefs suffer stunning 31-24 loss to Broncos

KANSAS CITY, Mo. On paper, at least, the Chiefs’ Thursday night showdown against the Denver Broncos had the look of a rightful coronation.

Denver, the four-time defending AFC West champions, had also won six straight against the Chiefs, so the Broncos had history on their side. But the Chiefs had emotion and motivation.

Safety Eric Berry was making his triumphant return to Arrowhead Stadium after beating Hodgkin lymphoma. Derrick Johnson was only a few tackles short of setting the team’s all-time tackle record.

And most importantly, the Chiefs with their assortment of pass rushers finally seemed equipped to harass their annual tormentor, Peyton Manning, into throwing the same wobbly ducks he had in week one against Baltimore.

But games are not won on paper. And while many of the Chiefs’ advantages (aside from Johnson setting the record) ultimately came to be, it still was not enough to overcome five turnovers including a devastating late fumble by Jamaal Charles and a clutch Denver offense in a 31-24 loss before a crowd of 76,404 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Late in the fourth quarter, it looked like luck would finally change for the Chiefs, who fell to 0-5 vs. Denver under coach Andy Reid and losers of seven straight vs. the Broncos, as quarterback Alex Smith who overcame an interception by cornerback Chris Harris, Jr. deep in Denver territory on the Chiefs’ previous drive guided a six-play, 61-yard scoring drive that was capped by a 8-yard touchdown run by Knile Davis.

The score put the Chiefs ahead 24-17 with 2:27 left, but unfortunately for the Chiefs, that was all the time Manning who improved to 14-1 in his career against the Chiefs by completing 26 of 45 passes for 256 yards, three touchdowns and an interception needed to put mount a vintage Manning comeback.

Starting from the Broncos’ 20-yard line, he promptly completed 5-of-10 passes on a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive that was capped by a gorgeous 19-yard touchdown throw from Manning to receiver Emmanuel Sanders in front of Jamell Fleming.

It was a devastating blow, but not quite the end of the world the game seemed primed to go into overtime but Charles, who rushed 21 times for 125 yards and a touchdown promptly fumbled with 27 seconds left in the game. It was returned 21 yards for a touchdown by Denver cornerback Bradley Roby, locking up the victory for the Broncos, who improved to 2-0 while the Chiefs fell to 1-1.

It was a crushing but fitting blow, considering the Chiefs opened the game with a crippling Charles fumble, too. With the emotion of the night still high, Reid dialed up a variety of formations and personnel groupings as the Chiefs moved the ball 76 yards, all the way to the Denver 2-yard line on their first drive of the game.

But after two unsuccessful passing plays, a third one a pass in the flat to Charles ended with a fumble that Denver recovered.

Denver ended up punting, but their defense which held the Broncos to a measly 61 rushing yards took over, hitting Smith (16-of-25 for 191 yards and two interceptions) on three straight plays, sacking him twice and forcing a punt.

Not to be outdone, the Chiefs’ defense engaged in the quarterback hunting, as Justin Houston sacked Manning on a third-and-four to force a punt right before the end of the first quarter.

The Chiefs, however, gave it right back when De’Anthony Thomas fumbled the ensuing punt their second turnover of the game.

But once again, the Chiefs’ defense came up big, as Houston stuffed running back C.J. Anderson for no gain on a third-and-1 at the Chiefs’ 22-yard line and safety Ron Parker stuffed receiver Sanders for no gain on a fourth-down end around to force a turnover on downs.

That set up the Chiefs’ first scoring drive of the game, albeit one aided by the undisciplined Broncos, who were whistled for their third and fourth personal foul penalties of the game on late hits by Von Miller and Malik Jackson that drew loud boos from the pro-Chiefs crowd.

But the boos quickly turned to cheers just minutes later, when Charles got the Chiefs on the board with a vintage Charles run a darting, dashing scamper in which he started on the right side of the field and cut across to the left for a 34-yard score that gave the Chiefs a 7-0 lead with nine minutes left in the half.

The defense quickly built on that lead, too, as defensive coordinator Bob Sutton called a blitz that brought pressure up the middle on Manning, and rookie cornerback Marcus Peters who anticipated it the whole way jumped Manning’s hot read and took it back 55 yards for a touchdown that put the Chiefs ahead by 14.

But Denver and Manning wasn’t going to go down without a fight, as he promptly put together a 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive that culminated in a 16-yard touchdown throw from Manning to Sanders on a slant.

Then, the Chiefs committed their third turnover of the half, as Denver cornerback Aqib Talib dived in front of Jeremy Maclin for an interception that gave the Broncos the ball at the Chiefs’ 15.

Four plays later, Manning lofted a play-action pass over the middle for a 1-yard touchdown to tight end Virgil Green that knotted the score at 14-14 at the break.

Both teams exchanged field goals in the third quarter, setting up the penultimate fourth quarter, when it looked like the Chiefs were finally ready to exorcise their Denver demons.

But again, games are not won on paper, and in this instance, history which favored the Broncos again won out, as the Chiefs fumbled away an opportunity to prove they were ready to seize the AFC West crown.

(c)2015 The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Mo.)

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