Patrick Mahomes finishes 27 of 44 for 270 yards and two touchdowns alongside nine carries for 54 rushing yards for the Chiefs; Broncos quarterback Drew Lock goes 12 of 24 for 162 yards while also scoring two rushing touchdowns.
Sunday 9 January 2022 01:31, UK
Nick Bolton scored an 86-yard fumble return with seven minutes remaining to lift the Kansas City Chiefs to a 28-24 victory over the Denver Broncos in their final game of the regular season.
The result, for the time being, means Andy Reid's side again occupy the No. 1 seed in the AFC, however the Tennessee Titans can reclaim that spot for good along with an accompanying first-round bye in the playoffs should they beat the Houston Texans on Sunday.
It remains to be seen whether Saturday's contest could mark the last of Vic Fangio's time as Broncos head coach, with his future in doubt heading into the league's typically busy post-regular season window for changes on the sideline.
A win had been within reach for Denver as they led 21-20 with the ball on the Chiefs' nine-yard line mid-way through the fourth, only for Bolton to scoop and score after Mark Ingram III had knocked the ball from the clutches of Melvin Ingram at the 14. Patrick Mahomes subsequently ran in the two-point conversion to earn a seven-point cushion.
The Broncos' response on their ensuing drive saw them settle for a Brandon McManus 31-yard field goal on fourth-and-nine with 4.37 remaining, paving the way for Kansas City to chew down the clock.
Mahomes finished 27 of 44 for 270 yards and two touchdowns while also leading the Chiefs on the ground with nine carries for 54 rushing yards. Drew Lock, starting in place of Teddy Bridgewater, went 12 of 24 for 162 yards as well as rushing for two scores.
Travis Kelce had given the Chiefs an early lead when he hauled in Mahomes' three-yard strike at the end of a 17-play, 91-yard drive.
Lock darted in from five yards out for the first of his two rushing touchdowns before racing away for a 23-yard burst as the Broncos entered the break leading 14-10.
Jerick McKinnon's shifty 14-yard catch-and-run put the Chiefs on top early in the third quarter, until Gordon slalomed his way to a 47-yard touchdown to make it 21-17 as he finished with 110 yards off 12 carries on the night.
Harrison Butker's 51-yard field goal pulled the Chiefs within one point inside the first 15 seconds of the fourth quarter, and Bolton pounced on the loose ball to run in the decider minutes later.
Chiefs
Broncos
It's playoff time. Should the Titans beat the Texans, the Chiefs would slip back into the No. 2 seed and likely face a Wild Card matchup with either the Los Angeles Chargers or Las Vegas Raiders, who play on the final day of the regular season.
For the Broncos, a search for a new head coach potentially awaits, perhaps in addition to a search for a long-term quarterback.
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