Question: Let’s start at the end. Agree or disagree with Vic Fangio’s decision to punt from his 49-yard line with about 6:10 remaining and trailing 19-16?
Answer: We play the hindsight game around here, but the Chiefs’ offense was averaging more than seven yards per play so expecting a three-and-out at that point was a reach.
Of Fangio’s four big decisions — first-half 57-yard field goal (no good), replay challenge (which he won), going for two points (didn’t impact the game) and punting in this sequence — the one I first-guessed was attempting the field goal.
The Broncos failed on a third-and-3 when Drew Lock’s pass was incomplete to receiver KJ Hamler (he got both hands on it, so I’ll count it as a drop). The Chiefs started at their 15 after the punt and the Broncos’ defense couldn’t make the kind of play Fangio was counting on. The Chiefs had gains of six, 17, five, 12, four and nine yards to equal parts move into field goal range and use valuable clock time.
The coach of a 4-7 team should go for it.
Q: The Chiefs were 0-of-4 in the red zone (kicked four field goals). Was it more their inefficiency offensively or the Broncos’ defense rising up?
A: More the Broncos than the Chiefs.
First possession — defensive end Shelby Harris broke up a pass on third-and-4 from the 17.
Second possession — the Chiefs got too cute on third-and-goal from the 1 with a pop pass to receiver Tyreek Hill that lost five yards.
Third possession — Hill got cute this time by trying to score on a five-yard pass from the 10. He didn’t score and he used up several seconds to force a field goal.
Fourth possession — Mahomes was sacked by outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu on third-and-goal from the 8.
Q: Melvin Gordon set up the Broncos’ first touchdown with a 65-yard run. How did he bust through for his and the team’s longest carry of the year?
A: So many things need to go right to have that kind of play.
On third-and-3, Gordon was lined up to the left of Lock, who was in the shotgun.
At the snap, left guard Dalton Risner pulled right and blocked linebacker Ben Niemann. Center Lloyd Cushenberry sealed off defensive tackle Chris Jones. Right guard Graham Glasgow and right tackle Demar Dotson double-teamed defensive end Tano Kpassagnon and then Dotson blocked safety Daniel Sorenson.
Through the hole, Gordon was off to the races because safety Tyrann Mathieu was out of position, likely expecting Gordon to bounce the play to the edge.
Q: The Chiefs beat the Broncos for the 11th consecutive time and the Broncos are 4-8. But was Sunday night a positive?
A: If the goal was to not lose by 20-plus points, then yes, the Broncos checked one box. But a loss is a loss is a loss and several of the Broncos’ flaws were exposed again by the Chiefs.
The defense allowed eight plays of at least 20 yards and didn’t create a takeaway.
The offense didn’t finish strong, going punt, punt, interception in the fourth quarter.
What Sunday night exhibited is how good quarterback Patrick Mahomes is regardless of the situation, how good tight end Travis Kelce is at all parts of the field and just how narrow the margin of error the Broncos have against superior teams. One little blink and a chance at winning disappears.
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