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It wasn't pretty, but Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs secured their spot in the 2020 NFL playoffs and a chance to defend last season's Super Bowl crown. The Chiefs struggled in the red zone all game, scoring just a single touchdown, but they held Drew Lock and the Denver Broncos at bay, winning 22-16 on "Sunday Night Football."
Just a week after an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Saints in which they essentially didn't have a quarterback, Lock and the Broncos stayed in the game until the final drive but fell to 4-8 with the loss.
5. Denver's defense kept them in the game
Coming into Sunday night’s matchup, a lone bright spot for the bottom-feeding Broncos was their pass defense. The Broncos allowed just 210 passing yards per game this season, the seventh-best air defense in the league.
On Sunday, Denver's defense held them in the game and constantly frustrated Mahomes and the Chiefs' attack. Mahomes finished Sunday completing 25 of 40 pass attempts and threw for just a single touchdown.
4. Lock comes up short on final drive
On 4th and five, Drew Lock stood in the shotgun with the game on the line. On a short drop, Lock immediately cocked his arm back and fired down the middle of the field. The ball scored through the air toward Lock’s rookie teammate, Jerry Jeudy, but a red jersey jumped in front. Snatching the ball out of the air, Tyrann Mathieu grabbed his second interception of the game and sealed the Chiefs scrappy victory.
3. The Broncos had a quarterback
It took the Broncos just three plays to match, and even quadruple, the passing totals they had last week.
Seven days removed from having to play with practice-squad wide receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback, Denver had Drew Lock back at quarterback and it made all the difference. Despite Lock’s 56% completion percentage being worst in the league, the Broncos offence was at least capable of running plays in Week 13.
2. Tyreek Hill snags TD that doesn’t count for Chiefs
Just a week after Tyreek Hill lit NFL Twitter ablaze with his 200-yard first quarter, the Chiefs' wide receiver recorded another highlight play -- but this one didn’t count.
On a deep ball from Mahomes, Hill jumped in the air to grab the ball but bobbled it to the ground. Bouncing off shoulder pads and helmets, the ball slipped to the ground but landed on top of Hill and never hit the ground, despite being ruled incomplete.
By the time fans, KC coach Andy Reid, and Hill realized they could’ve successfully challenged the play, it was too late.
1. Chiefs wins in primetime, again
The Kansas City Chiefs started their Super Bowl defense with three primetime games in the first four weeks of the 2020 season — all wins. Picking up a 35-31 win on "Sunday Night Football" in week 11, this week's victory was Mahomes and the Chiefs' fifth primetime win of the season.
The Chiefs don't have a remaining primetime game on the schedule in 2020, but, with just one loss, a future game could be flexed into the spotlight. Also, if last years playoffs were any indication, Mahomes will be playing in primetime deep into the playoffs.
