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Monday 16 deceMber 2019

Chiefs roll to 23-3 victory over Broncos at snowy Arrowhead

By DAVE SKRETTA connection of the game.
AP Sports Writer The Broncos didn't force a
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) punt until there was about
— The Kansas City Chiefs six minutes left in the third
turned Arrowhead Stadium quarter.
into their own winter won- By that point, the game
derland Sunday, mushing was pretty much over.
through the snow to an The biggest cheers the rest
easy victory over the Den- of the way were for the
ver Broncos as they march Cincinnati Bengals, who
toward another postsea- were trying to knock off
son filled with possibilities. the New England Patriots.
Patrick Mahomes threw for They couldn't hold an early
340 yards and two touch- lead, though, and that left
downs, and Tyreek Hill and the Chiefs needing to win
Travis Kelce were on the re- out and the Patriots to drop
ceiving end of many of his one of their final two games
biggest throws, as the AFC to move ahead of them in
West champions romped the playoff pecking order.
to a 23-3 victory over the "That was very fun," said Hill,
rebuilding Broncos to re- who left the game after a
main in the hunt for the No. couple of hard hits but re-
2 playoff seed and a po- turned to finish it out.
tential first-round bye. "This is my first snow game
"It was awesome. A lot of and I had a blast with it. I
fun," said Mahomes, who Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Alex Okafor (97) sacks Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock don't want to do it again
showed no lingering effects (3) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Dec. 15, 2019. because it's very cold, but
Associated Press
from the hand his bruised I had fun with it."
last week. "That's the biggest thing in playoff contention for the ing off the yard lines, end STATS AND STREAKS
"The guys were embracing terms of mindset, going out fourth straight season. "I zones and sidelines as the Lindsay had 32 yards rush-
it. We knew it was going to there and not letting any- didn't see him get flustered snow swirled inside the sta- ing and the Broncos fin-
snow. We practice in cold thing distract you." out there and frustrated so dium. ished with 52 as a team. ...
weather a lot. So you get Whether it was the weath- that part was good." It really began to pick up Broncos LB Von Miller had
there, you're already ac- er or the suddenly stout That was about the only again at halftime, obscur- the 105th sack of his ca-
customed to it, and you go Chiefs defense, the Bron- good part. The Broncos fin- ing Kauffman Stadium reer. He needs one more to
out there and play." cos were so inept offen- ished with 251 yards, went about a quarter mile away, move into the top 25 in NFL
Like a bunch of kids getting sively that Kelce had more 5 of 14 on third down and and stadium workers flood- history. ...
a snow day from school, yards receiving at the start 1 of 3 on fourth, and were ed the field to clear what The Chiefs have held four
the Chiefs enjoyed every of the fourth quarter than penalized seven times for they could during every straight opponents to 20
minute of it. they had total offense (139 72 yards. timeout. points or fewer and two of
Hill caught five passes for 67 yards). They also went 0 for 2 in the It wasn't long until Andy Wil- the past three to 10 points
yards and both scores, and Phillip Lindsay was bottled red zone. liams' sonorous voice over or fewer.
Kelce hauled in 11 catches up on the ground, and for- "When you play a team as the loudspeakers made the INJURIES
for 142 yards to become mer Missouri standout Drew good as the Chiefs," Fangio snow globe atmosphere Chiefs: DE Alex Okafor hurt
the first tight end in NFL his- Lock — who grew up in the said, "you can't do that." complete. his chest while sacking Lock
tory with four consecutive Kansas City suburb of Lee's Flurries began to fall over- And for the Chiefs, it in the first half and did not
1,000-yard receiving sea- Summit, Missouri — spent night, far earlier than me- seemed indeed like the return. ... RB Damien Wil-
sons, helping the Chiefs (10- most of the day seeing red teorologists had predicted, most wonderful time of the liams (ribs) and CBs Morris
4) beat the Broncos for the jerseys bearing down on and the intensifying snow year. Claiborne (shoulder) and
ninth straight time. him. caused major problems for They effortlessly marched Rashad Fenton (hamstring)
Denver (5-9) hasn't won in The rookie quarterback people trying to get to the downfield for a touchdown were inactive.
Kansas City since Sept. 17, was 18 of 40 for 208 yards stadium. on their opening drive, then Broncos: TE Noah Fant left
2015. and an egregious intercep- There were spin-outs and got a trio of field goals from after landing hard on his
The Chiefs outscored their tion in the end zone. car accidents throughout Harrison Butker on their next right shoulder.
longtime division rival 53-9 "I think he handled the the metro area, and there three first-half possessions He returned in the second
this season. conditions well. I think it's a was some concern that to build a 12-3 lead. half. ... DLs Dre'Mont Jones
"You just attack it. You can't game under these condi- players might be delayed When they received the (ankle), Marcus Walker
let weather get into how tions that he can bank and in getting to the stadium in kickoff to start the second (ankle) and Adam Gotsis
you're playing the game learn from," said Broncos time for warmups. half, Mahomes took them (knee) were inactive.
or disrupt how you're play- coach Vic Fangio, whose An hour before kickoff, doz- right downfield again, find- OT Ja'Wuan James (knee)
ing the game," Kelce said. team was eliminated from ens of workers were clear- ing Hill for their second TD also did not play.q