Chiefs Survive Broncos on Last-Second Blocked Field Goal
The fate of the unbeaten start to the 2024 season for the Kansas City Chiefs appeared to rest on the right boot of Denver Broncos kicker Will Lutz on the game’s final play in a two-point game at Arrowhead Stadium, with Lutz lining up a field goal from 35 yards that would have given the Broncos their first win in Kansas City since 2015.
But when boot met leather, leather just as quickly met the arm of Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal, who blocked the kick and preserved both the Chiefs’ 16-14 victory and unblemished record.
Harrison Butker gave the Chiefs their lead with a 20-yard field goal with 5:57 to play, but the Broncos, led by rookie quarterback Bo Nix, marched down the field and converted three fourth downs to go from their own 40 yard line down to Kansas City’s 17 with one second on the clock. But on the kick, the Chiefs caved in the left side of the Broncos line, and Chenal, who blocked a field goal in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LVIII victory back in Feburary, smacked it back down to the turf.
The play completed a comeback for the Chiefs, who fell behind 14-3 with 6:39 to play in the first half but kept the visitors scoreless thereafter. Butker kicked three field goals and Patrick Mahomes threw a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce to account for the Kansas City scoring.
Mahomes finished 28 for 42 passing for 266 yards and the touchdown on a day where pressure from the Broncos front four resulted in a difficult afternoon. He took four sacks for the second consecutive game. Kelce caught eight of those passes for 64 yards and the touchdown, which was the 76th of his career, tying Tony Gonzalez for the most touchdown receptions by a Chief in history.
The win improves the Chiefs to 9-0 and completes a perfect 3-0 start to AFC West play with wins over all three of their divisional opponents in their first meetings. It’s also the 14th consecutive win for the Chiefs dating back to Week 18 of 2023. The Broncos lost their second straight game to fall to 5-5.
The Chiefs head on the road to face the Buffalo Bills next Sunday.