 |
1st
|
2nd
|
3rd
|
4th
|
Total
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Kansas City
|
7
|
3
|
17
|
17
|
44
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Denver
|
0
|
10
|
14
|
0
|
24
|
Chiefs Finish Season with 44-24 Victory Over Broncos
Regular Season Game #16
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Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles smiles on the sideline after rushing for a team record 259 yards.
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Jan. 3- It was a record-setting day for former Texas Longhorns-turned Chiefs as RB Jamaal Charles finished the game with 25 carries for 259 yards and two TDs and LB Derrick Johnson turned in two INT returns for TD in the second half to help the Chiefs roll to a 44-24 AFC West Division victory over the Broncos, knocking Denver out of the AFC Wild Card hunt and marking Kansas City’s first win in Denver since 9/24/00 and the initial Chiefs win inside the confines of INVESCO Field at Mile High since the stadium’s debut in 2001.
Besides a single-day career performance, Charles concluded his day with a season-milestone under his belt, becoming the first Chiefs running back to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since RB Larry Johnson accomplished the feat in 2006. Charles eclipsed the plateau on a five-yard TD run that gave Kansas City the 17-10 lead with 10:35 left in the third quarter and finished the season with 1,120 yards. Charles also gained 113 yards in the first half for Kansas City, the most yards in a single half by a member of the Chiefs since Larry Johnson had a 105-yard second half vs. Denver (9/28/08).
Broncos WR Jabar Gaffney was Denver’s offensive bright spot, totaling 14 catches for 213 yards to lead the Broncos attack.
Kansas City held a staggering advantage in the rushing attack (317 to 84) while Denver held the lead in the passing game (431 to 207) behind Gaffney’s receiving performance. With Kansas City holding a slim margin in total offense (524 to 515), the Denver defense didn’t have an answer for Charles.
Kansas City held Denver to a three and out on the game’s opening series and marched 86 yards down the field after taking possession as QB Matt Cassel opened with three-straight completions, a 50-yard pass to WR Terrance Copper, a 29-yard completion to TE Leonard Pope and a six-yard pass to Pope. FB Mike Cox dove in from one-yard out on the drive’s fourth play to give the Chiefs the early 7-0 lead with 11:17 left in the first quarter. It was Kansas City’s initial TD on its opening drive of the season.
On Denver’s next possession, Kansas City kept up the defensive pressure as DE Glenn Dorsey sacked QB Kyle Orton for a one-yard loss. The Broncos converted two third-down plays before their drive stalled at the Denver 48-yard line, with Kansas City taking over at its own one-yard line after the Denver punt.
After the teams traded punts, Charles broke into the secondary on the second play of the drive, picking up 52 yards and getting the ball to the Denver 35-yard line. Two plays later, Kansas City gave the ball right back as RB Tim Castile took a pitch from Cassel and looked for the throwback to Cassel, but the pass was intercepted by CB Andre Goodman at the Denver five-yard line.
RB Knowshon Moreno rushed for 18 yards with Orton hitting Gaffney two plays later for 21 yards. Orton found Moreno for a 20-yard pitch and catch, moving the ball to the Kansas City 23-yard line. After an offensive holding penalty, Orton’s pass intended for Gaffney fell incomplete but Carr was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, giving Denver the ball on the one-yard line. On third and one, Moreno busted through the line for the one-yard touchdown, evening the score at 7-7 with 14:07 left in the first half.
The teams exchanged drives again and on third and one, Charles reeled off a 33-yard run and a 15-yard facemask penalty put the ball on the Denver 23-yard line. Cassel hit WR Chris Chambers for 12 yards to the Denver two-yard line. An illegal formation penalty cost the Chiefs five yards. On third and goal at the two, Cassel’s pass for Chambers was broken up by Goodman, setting up a 20-yard K Ryan Succop FG, putting the Chiefs up 10-7 with 5:03 left in the first half.
Orton connected with Gaffney for 26 yards to open the drive and found him again on third and nine for 18 yards, moving the ball to the Kansas City 36-yard line. Moreno picked up 11 yards on the next play. Back-to-back completions to Gaffney and a pass to WR Brandon Stokley eventually set up a 25-yard Prater FG to tie the game at 10-10 with 0:27 left in the first half.
To open the second half, WR Quinten Lawrence took an end around for 26 yards on second and 12. Charles picked up 15 yards and was awarded an extra 15 yards after the run for an unnecessary roughness penalty against Denver. A defensive pass interference penalty gave the Chiefs first and goal on the Denver eight-yard line. Charles took the ball in from five yards out to give the Chiefs the 17-10 lead with 10:35 left in the third stanza, capping a 10-play, 79-yard drive.
Denver answered quickly as Orton hit Gaffney for 24 yards and followed that with a 44-yard pass to Lloyd. Moreno took the ball in from the one-yard line on the four-play, 73-yard drive to knot the score again at 17-17 with 8:25 left in the third quarter.
Cassel started the Chiefs next drive with a 13-yard pass to Cox and followed that with a 43-yard completion to Chambers to move the ball to the Denver 24-yard line. Kansas City’s drive stalled with Succop lining up a 36-yard FG to give the Chiefs the 20-17 lead with 5:39 left in the third quarter.
Derrick Johnson kept the momentum rolling in Kansas City’s favor as he intercepted an Orton pass on Denver’s first play of the drive and returned it 45 yards to the end zone to give the Chiefs the 27-17 lead just 23 seconds after taking a three-point lead in the third quarter.
Buckhalter gained 11 yards and Orton found Gaffney for 18 yards before the Broncos drive stalled, forcing a punt.
Kansas City gave the ball right back as CB Ty Law picked off a third-down Cassel pass intended WR Bobby Wade, and returned it to the Kansas City three-yard line.
After holding on first and second downs, Kansas City gave up a three-yard Orton TD pass to Stokley, making the score 27-24 with 0:12 left to play in the third period.
Kansas City extended the lead to 30-24 with 12:57 left in the game on a 47-yard Succop FG, his third FG of the day.
With Denver driving after a 31-yard Orton to Lloyd pass, Derrick Johnson recorded his second INT return for a TD of the day as he picked off an Orton pass at the Kansas City 40-yard line and returned it 60 yards to pay dirt, extending the Chiefs lead to 37-24 with 9:52 left in the game.
Denver’s next possession ended with another Broncos punt and Kansas City took the opportunity to put the game away as Charles scampered for a 56-yard TD on the second play of the drive, making the score 44-24 with 6:25 left in the game.
CB Brandon Flowers brought down Kansas City’s third INT of the day as he grabbed an errant Orton pass with 2:50 left to play, essentially sealing the Chiefs win.
A Chiefs three and out resulted in a punt, but the Broncos ran out of time as they were trying to mount a last minute scoring drive, sealing the 44-24 Chiefs victory.
Individual Statistics
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Kansas City Passing:
Matt Cassel 13 of 24 for 207 yards and 1 interception
Tim Castille 0 of 1 for 0 yards and 1 interception
Denver Passing:
Kyle Orton 32 of 56 for 431 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions
Kansas City Rushing:
Jamaal Charles 25 carries for 259 yards and 2 touchdowns
Quinten Lawrence 1 carry for 26 yards
Tim Castille 3 carries for 19 yards
Javarris Williams 3 carries for 10 yards
Mike Cox 2 carries for 3 yards and 1 touchdown
Matt Cassel 1 carry for 0 yards
Denver Rushing:
Knowshon Moreno 14 carries for 50 yards and 2 touchdowns
Correll Buckhalter 6 carries for 18 yards
Kyle Orton 2 carries for 16 yards
Kansas City Receiving:
Chris Chambers 5 receptions for 80 yards
Terrance Copper 2 receptions for 57 yards
Leonard Pope 1 reception for 29 yards
Bobby Wade 1 reception for 16 yards
Mike Cox 1 reception for 13 yards
Dwayne Bowe 1 reception for 6 yards
Jamaal Charles 1 reception for 3 yards
Jake O'Connell 1 reception for 3 yards
Denver Receiving:
Jabar Gaffney 14 receptions for 213 yards
Brandon Lloyd 4 receptions for 95 yards
Knowshon Moreno 3 receptions for 48 yards
Brandon Stokley 5 receptions for 43 yards and 1 touchdown
Daniel Graham 4 receptions for 29 yards
Correll Buckhalter 2 receptions for 3 yards
Kansas City Tackles-Assists-Sacks:
Jovan Belcher 7-0-0, Brandon Carr 6-0-0, Travis Daniels 5-0-0, Derrick Johnson 5-1-0, Demorrio Williams 5-1-0, Glenn Dorsey 4-0-1, Brandon Flowers 4-0-0, Tyson Jackson 3-0-0, Corey Mays 3-1-0, Jon McGraw 3-0-0, Ricky Price 3-0-0, Mike Vrabel 2-1-0, Mike Brown 1-3-0, Ron Edwards 1-0-0, Tamba Hali 1-0-1
Denver Tackles-Assists-Sacks:
D. J. Williams 10-1-0, Brian Dawkins 7-1-0, Andre' Goodman 5-0-0, Renaldo Hill 4-0-0, Andra Davis 3-3-0, Mario Haggan 3-1-0, Champ Bailey 2-0-0, LeKevin Smith 2-0-0, Wesley Woodyard 2-0-0, Elvis Dumervil 1-0-0, Vonnie Holliday 1-0-0, Ryan McBean 1-0-0, Kenny Peterson 1-0-0, Marcus Thomas 1-0-0, Robert Ayers 0-1-0, Ronald Fields 0-1-0, Darrell Reid 0-1-0
Kansas City Fumble Recoveries:
None
Denver Fumble Recoveries:
None
Kansas City Interceptions:
Derrick Johnson 2 for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns
Brandon Flowers 1 for 0 yards
Denver Interceptions:
Ty Law 1 for 37 yards
Andre' Goodman 1 for 0 yards
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