Kansas City vs. Denver final score: Broncos hold off Chiefs, 24-17

The Chiefs faced long odds going into Denver against Peyton Manning and the Broncos. Those odds only got longer when Kansas City lost a pair of key players in the first half.

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But despite everything stacked against them, the Chiefs made it a good game, and had a chance to pull it out in the fourth quarter.

It looked like a potential runaway for Denver after Peyton Manning cranked up the offense for three first half touchdowns. Manning hit Julius Thomas for a four-yard TD after leading Denver 80 yards on their first possession of the game.

Kansas City came back with a field goal and then a solid 10-play drive capped by Knile Davis’ 2-yard TD run. Davis was in the game for an injured Jamaal Charles, who left with an ankle. Kansas City also lost safety Eric Berry in the first half with an ankle.

The door was opened on the potential upset but Manning and the Broncos quickly closed it again, striking twice before the half. A 7-play, 75-yard drive was completed when Manning hit his old pal Jacob Tamme for a four yard score. Denver put together another long drive, 88 yards in 11 plays, later in the second quarter, capping that one with a 12-yard TD pass from Manning to Demaryius Thomas.

Denver would go into half time in complete control, up 21-10. The third quarter is the time for a good team to put their foot on the opponent’s neck, especially at home, but Denver stumbled in the third and Kansas City went into the fourth still having a chance.

Another long drive – it was a game of long, grinding series – ended with the Chiefs hitting paydirt thanks to Knile Davis’ four-yard run. That cut it to 21-17. Denver would drive down again only to see their offense stall out, forcing them to settle for three.

They would take a seven point lead into the final moments of the game. Alex Smith was working the Chiefs down the field for a potential tying score when DeMarcus Ware seemingly put an end to matters with a strip sack. But the play was reviewed and it was ruled that Smith had actually been in the act of throwing the ball making it an incomplete pass.

Kansas City got another life with time running short. They made it down to the Denver 2 but faced fourth down with 18 seconds left. Alex Smith’s pass to Dwayne Bowe was incomplete and that put an end to it.

A thrilling finish, but Kansas City came up short. Denver goes to 2-0 on the season and KC falls to a disappointing 0-2.

Peyton Manning finished with 242 yards and 3 TDs, while Alex Smith put up 255 yards but no touchdowns. Knile Davis ended with 79 yards and 2 TDs on 22 carries. Montee Ball had 60 yards on 12 carries.

Denver’s receivers were led by Emmanuel Sanders who finished with 108 yards.

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