You ever feel like you're watching history and a car crash at the exact same time? That was the vibe in 2023 when the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos met for their annual AFC West clashes. For nearly a decade, this "rivalry" was about as competitive as a Harlem Globetrotters game. The Chiefs won. The Broncos lost. Rinse and repeat for 16 straight games.
Then came October 29, 2023.
The snow was coming down in Denver. The temperature was hovering in the mid-20s. Patrick Mahomes looked... human? Actually, he looked sick. He was sick. Flu-like symptoms had him on the injury report that morning, but he suited up anyway. What followed was a 24-9 thumping that nobody—and I mean nobody—saw coming.
The Mahomes Flu Game That Went South
Usually, when we talk about "Flu Games," we’re thinking of Michael Jordan dropping 38 points while looking like he’s about to faint. This wasn't that. Patrick Mahomes, playing through a stomach bug he reportedly caught from his kids, had arguably the worst afternoon of his professional life.
He didn't throw a single touchdown.
Think about that for a second. The guy who turns broken plays into magic for fun couldn't find the end zone once. He threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball away. The Broncos defense, led by a fired-up Justin Simmons, hit him 11 times. They weren't just playing football; they were exorcising demons.
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Simmons, who has been the heart of that Denver secondary for years, picked Mahomes off for the sixth time in his career. It’s kinda wild to think that while the rest of the league struggles to even touch Mahomes, Simmons seems to have his number.
That Thursday Night Slog at Arrowhead
Before the Denver upset, these two teams met on October 12 for Thursday Night Football. If you watched that one, you probably remember it for two things: Harrison Butker’s leg and Travis Kelce’s famous fan in the stands.
The Chiefs won 19-8. It wasn't pretty.
Kansas City’s offense was clunky. They kept stalling in the red zone, going 1-for-5. If it wasn't for Butker drilling four field goals—including a massive 60-yarder right before halftime—the Broncos might have ended the streak two weeks earlier.
The stats from that night tell a weird story:
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- Russell Wilson only threw for 95 yards. Total.
- Travis Kelce went off for 124 yards on nine catches.
- The Broncos defense actually played well, holding the Chiefs to just one touchdown.
Honestly, the 19-8 score felt closer than it was because Denver’s offense was basically non-existent. Russell Wilson looked lost for most of the night, and the Chiefs' defense, anchored by Chris Jones and Trent McDuffie, just smothered them.
2,965 Days of Waiting
When the clock hit zero in Denver on October 29, the celebration was surreal. The Broncos hadn't beaten the Chiefs since September 17, 2015. To put that in perspective, when the streak started, Peyton Manning was still under center for Denver. Patrick Mahomes was still a sophomore at Texas Tech.
The stadium speakers blared Taylor Swift’s "Shake It Off" as the Chiefs walked off the field. A bit of petty trolling? Maybe. But after losing 16 times in a row, you earn the right to play whatever music you want.
This game also snapped Mahomes' record of 16 straight divisional road wins. He had never lost a road game against an AFC West opponent in his career until that snowy Sunday at Empower Field.
Why the Script Flipped
It wasn't just the flu. Denver’s defense under Vance Joseph had been the laughingstock of the league earlier that season—remember the 70 points they gave up to Miami? But by the time they faced the Chiefs the second time, something had clicked.
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They forced five turnovers. Five!
Mecole Hardman muffed a punt. Mahomes threw those two picks. The Broncos' offense didn't do anything spectacular—Russell Wilson only threw for 114 yards—but they didn't have to. They ran the ball 40 times. They used Javonte Williams like a battering ram, racking up 153 rushing yards as a team. They basically kept the ball away from Mahomes and let the clock do the dirty work.
What the Chiefs vs Broncos 2023 Games Taught Us
If you’re looking at these games through an analytical lens, the biggest takeaway was the vulnerability of the Chiefs' wide receiving corps. Throughout the 2023 season, the lack of a true #1 receiver besides Kelce was a glaring issue.
In the Denver loss, Skyy Moore dropped a touchdown. Kadarius Toney was mostly a non-factor. It was a wake-up call for Andy Reid’s squad. Of course, they eventually figured it out and won another Super Bowl, but the Denver games were the blueprint for how to make the Chiefs look ordinary:
- Pressure with four: Don't let Mahomes scramble into open space.
- Physicality at the line: Jam the receivers and make them work for every yard.
- Run the rock: Control the tempo and keep the Chiefs' defense on the field until they tire out.
- Capitalize on mistakes: You can't beat Kansas City if you lose the turnover battle.
Moving Forward
If you're looking to dive deeper into the rivalry, go back and watch the defensive film of Baron Browning from that October 29 game. His strip-sack of Mahomes was a clinic in edge rushing. For Broncos fans, that 2023 season was a bridge to the future, proving they could finally stand up to the kings of the division. For the Chiefs, it was a rare moment of humility in a decade of dominance.
Check the injury reports for future matchups; a "flu game" isn't always a guaranteed legendary performance. Sometimes, it's just a really rough day at the office.