Honestly, the Chiefs Broncos game on November 10, 2024, shouldn't have ended the way it did. If you're a Denver fan, you're probably still staring at the ceiling wondering how a 35-yard field goal—basically a chip shot for a pro—didn't go through. If you're in Kansas City, you're calling it the "Holy Lateral" or the "Chenal Charge."
It was a heist. Plain and simple.
The Denver Broncos walked into GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium as seven-point underdogs and, for about 59 minutes and 59 seconds, they looked like the better football team. Bo Nix was outplaying Patrick Mahomes. The Denver defense was treating the Chiefs' offensive line like a revolving door. But the final score—16-14 in favor of Kansas City—tells a story of a team that simply refuses to lose, even when they probably deserve to.
The Block That Kept the Streak Alive
Let’s talk about Leo Chenal. Most people don't know the linebacker's name unless they’re deep-into-the-weeds film junkies. But after this Chiefs Broncos game, he became a legend in Missouri.
Denver had executed the "perfect" final drive. They took the ball with nearly six minutes left, bled the clock dry, and forced the Chiefs to burn all their timeouts. It was textbook Sean Payton. Wil Lutz, a guy who has made much tougher kicks in thinner air, stepped up for a 35-yard attempt.
The stadium was dead quiet.
Then, chaos. Chenal, who Mahomes literally calls "John Cena" because of his absurd strength, absolutely leveled the interior of the Broncos' line. He didn't just get a finger on the ball; he got his palm on it. The thud of the ball hitting his hand was audible over the crowd for a split second before the roar started.
Kansas City stayed 9-0. Denver went home 5-5.
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Why Bo Nix Might Actually Be the Real Deal
Forget the final score for a second. If you watched the Chiefs Broncos game closely, you saw something shift in the AFC West hierarchy.
Bo Nix didn't look like a rookie. He finished 22-of-30 for 215 yards and two touchdowns. No picks. His passer rating was a cool 115.3. Compare that to Mahomes, who struggled his way to a 92.0 rating and was sacked four times.
- Devaughn Vele caught a 6-yard heater for the first score.
- Courtland Sutton absolutely torched the secondary for a 32-yard TD.
- The Broncos converted 7-of-13 third downs against a Spagnuolo defense that usually eats rookies for lunch.
Nix was poised. He was accurate. He was making the "Mahomes-ish" plays—escaping the pocket, keeping his eyes downfield, and finding the open man when the script broke down. For the first time in a decade, the quarterback gap in this rivalry didn't feel like a canyon. It felt like a crack.
The Mahomes Struggle is Real (But Does It Matter?)
We have to address the elephant in the room: the Chiefs' offense is kind of a mess.
Mahomes threw for 266 yards, sure. He found Travis Kelce for a 2nd-quarter touchdown that briefly gave KC life. But the efficiency isn't there. They went 0-for-2 in the red zone at one point. They relied on Harrison Butker to bail them out with three field goals.
The offensive line was a sieve. Denver's Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper were living in the backfield. If it wasn't for Mahomes' uncanny ability to drift away from pressure and throw off-platform, this game is a blowout by the third quarter.
But here is the thing about the Kansas City Chiefs: they win anyway.
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They won by two points. Earlier in the season, they won on a walk-off against the Bengals. They won in OT against the Bucs. They are the masters of the "ugly win." In 2024, they set an NFL record for most consecutive one-score wins. It’s a skill. It’s annoying to the rest of the league, but it’s a skill.
The 2025 Shift: Denver Gets Their Revenge
If you think the November 2024 game was the end of the story, you haven't been paying attention to what happened next. The rivalry flipped.
In the 2025 season, the Broncos finally broke the curse in a way that felt like a changing of the guard. On November 16, 2025, the Broncos beat the Chiefs 22-19. Wil Lutz got his redemption, hitting a last-second field goal.
Then came the Christmas Day massacre.
On December 25, 2025, the Broncos walked into Arrowhead and walked out with a 20-13 victory. Sean Payton’s "no-snap" fourth-down trickery forced Chris Jones into an offsides penalty that basically ended the game.
Recent Series History (The Tide is Turning)
| Date | Winner | Score | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 10, 2024 | Chiefs | 16-14 | The "Chenal Block" saved KC's perfect start. |
| Jan 5, 2025 | Broncos | 38-0 | A complete blowout that signaled Denver was back. |
| Nov 16, 2025 | Broncos | 22-19 | Bo Nix out-dueled Mahomes in the fourth quarter. |
| Dec 25, 2025 | Broncos | 20-13 | Denver clinches a playoff-worthy statement win. |
The Chiefs had won 16 straight against Denver from 2015 to 2023. That dominance is dead. As of early 2026, the Broncos have won the last three meetings.
What This Means for Your Betting and Fantasy Strategy
If you're looking at the Chiefs Broncos game from a gambling or fantasy perspective, the old rules don't apply anymore.
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Don't just "blindly" bet the Chiefs to cover. They are 0-4 in one-score games recently. They play down to their competition, and their defense—while elite—can only hold the dam for so long if the offense keeps punting.
On the flip side, Bo Nix has become a fantasy "must-start" in divisional matchups. He doesn't turn the ball over. In his career against KC so far, he’s thrown 6 TDs and 0 INTs. That’s insane.
If you're playing DFS (Daily Fantasy), look at the tight ends. Even in a loss, Kelce usually gets his targets, but the Broncos' secondary has figured out how to bracket him in the red zone.
Actionable Takeaways for the Next Matchup
Keep an eye on the line of scrimmage. The Chiefs' left tackle spot has been a liability. If Denver keeps bringing the house with 5-man pressures, Mahomes will continue to struggle.
Also, watch the "special teams" factor. The November 2024 Chiefs Broncos game was decided by a special teams mistake. In 2025, it was a blocked extra point by Frank Crum that cost the Chiefs a tie. These games are won on the margins.
The "dynasty" isn't over in Kansas City, but the "division dominance" is under serious threat. Denver is no longer a "get-right" game for Patrick Mahomes. It’s a dogfight.
Expect the next meeting in 2026 to be just as ugly, just as tense, and likely decided by whoever has the ball last. If you're a fan, keep your blood pressure medication handy. You’re going to need it.
To stay ahead of the curve, track the injury reports for the Chiefs' interior defensive line; if Chris Jones doesn't have help, the Broncos' rushing attack with Audric Estime and RJ Harvey will eat up the clock and keep Mahomes on the sideline. Check the local Denver and KC sports radio hits the Friday before game day for the most accurate weather updates, as wind at Mile High or Arrowhead changes the kicking game entirely.