The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Denver Broncos 22-19 in Week 11. The win all but guarantees the Chiefs won’t win the division. In fact, the Chiefs’ odds to win the division are at just 3%. And the Chiefs’ playoff odds sit at 46.4%. It’s a shocking development for the football cognoscenti, as league opinion wasn’t high on the Broncos heading into Week 11. But there’s another development. Let’s see what it is.
Chris Jones With a Shocking Development
Another shocking development is that the Chiefs’ defensive tackle Chris Jones, No. 9 in PFSN’s DT Impact Score, said the Broncos knew their play on a crucial third down.
“(Bo Nix) called it out. I heard them calling it out. They actually switched the line. If you watch the film, you can see Bo Nix kind of switch the line. So they knew (the play). We gotta do a better job at disguising.”
The play in question is third and 15 with two minutes and 15 seconds left. The Broncos’ offense is on their 21-yard line. Nix connects with wide receiver Courtland Sutton for 20 yards. The play flips the field position and, more importantly, sets up another crucial pass. Nix connected with wide receiver Troy Franklin for 32 yards later in the drive.
The pass put the Broncos in the red zone, and the rest is history. Lutz made a 35-yard field goal to win the game for the Broncos two plays later.
While Nix is in the developmental stages, it’s a good thing he can do this so early in his career. After the game, though, Nix said that the Broncos’ offense ran the same play multiple times against the Chiefs as well.
Nix said, “Well, we actually called the same play three or four times I think. We hit, I guess, two or three different receivers on the play. [WR] Troy [Franklin]’s long catch was great. [WR] Courtland [Sutton] had two intermediate catches that were off the same play. We just found some stuff that was working and our guys were getting open.”
Elsewhere, the Broncos have a bye in Week 12, then play the Washington Commanders in Week 13. Denver is hoping cornerback Pat Surtain II will be ready to return by then.