The Denver Broncos’ defense was always likely to present problems for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, but one prominent analyst expressed huge surprise at how difficult the face of the NFL found life against Vance Joseph’s unit in their key AFC West matchup.
Kansas City, which entered Week 11 at 5-4 and in dire need of a divisional win over the Broncos, scored just six points across its first six possessions.
Most teams have struggled to move the ball against the Broncos this season, but the fact that Mahomes and Co. found life so tough was eye-opening to at least one observer, who felt the two-time MVP’s performance worthy of significant criticism.
Patrick Mahomes Silences Critics With Vintage Comeback Drive Against Broncos
The lowest point for Mahomes against the Broncos came when he was intercepted in the red zone with 10:23 remaining in the third quarter.
Mahomes broke the pocket and scrambled to his right, but a throw back across his body was picked off by Ja’Quan McMillian, a crucial error with the score tied at 6-6.
Moments after that interception, former ESPN and Fox Sports analyst Skip Bayless posted on X, “PATRICK MAHOMES IS SO OVERRATED. HE HAS GOTTED WORSE EACH OF THE LAST THREE SEASONS. I STUPIDLY THOUGHT HE COULD GO INTO DENVER AND AT LEAST OUTPLAY BO NIX. SO WRONG..”
PATRICK MAHOMES IS SO OVERRATED. HE HAS GOTTED WORSE EACH OF THE LAST THREE SEASONS. I STUPIDLY THOUGHT HE COULD GO INTO DENVER AND AT LEAST OUTPLAY BO NIX. SO WRONG.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) November 16, 2025
While nobody could deny that the Kansas City offense has struggled over the last few seasons, it is a bold claim to say that Mahomes has actively declined. The three-time Super Bowl champion quickly set about proving it incorrect.
Mahomes, who entered the week ranked 11th in PFSN’s QB Impact metrics, helped the Chiefs turn the game in their favor after the Broncos took a 13-6 lead.
He guided Kansas City on a six-play 75-yard drive that tied the game, a series highlighted by a 61-yard completion to Tyquan Thornton. Then, after the Broncos had retaken the lead on a field goal, Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce for a 21-yard touchdown that gave the Chiefs a 19-16 advantage.
Mahomes has proven time and again that it is never a great move to doubt him, and it’s especially foolish to do so mid-game with the result very much still in the balance. The Chiefs might not be the domineering force they once were in the AFC, but Mahomes can still find ways to keep them in any game. Bayless would do well to remember that.