Broncos rout Chiefs backups to grab final AFC playoff spot

DENVER — Rookie Bo Nix set a franchise file by finishing his first 18 passes and the Denver Broncos ended an eight-year playoff drought Sunday with a 38-0 rout of the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ bevy of backups.

The Broncos (10-7) snapped a two-game skid and buried almost a decade’s value of futility and frustrations by returning to the postseason get together for the primary time since successful Tremendous Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.

They’re going to go to Buffalo (13-4) within the wild-card spherical subsequent weekend after handing the two-time defending Tremendous Bowl champion Chiefs (15-2) their first shutout since Dec. 16, 2012, at Oakland.

Having already secured the AFC’s No. 1 seed and sole first-round bye of their quest for an unprecedented three-peat, Chiefs coach Andy Reid sat Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and a number of different starters.

Carson Wentz acquired the beginning at quarterback and fizzled in his first prolonged motion since Week 18 with the Rams final season. He was 10 of 17 for 98 yards and was sacked 4 instances by the league’s finest move rush (62 sacks).

Nix threw for 4 touchdowns, giving him 29 for the season, second-most by a rookie in NFL historical past, behind solely Justin Herbert’s 31 in 2020.

He completed 26 of 29 for 321 yards, and his 18 consecutive completions additionally had been essentially the most ever by a Broncos QB. Nix hit Marvin Mims twice, Courtland Sutton (5 instances for 98 yards) and Devaughn Vele for scores.

Vele’s TD was meant for Adam Trautman however ricocheted off cornerbacks Nazeeh Johnson (twice) and Keith Taylor earlier than Vele cradled the catch simply earlier than tumbling out of the again of the tip zone, giving Nix 17 consecutive completions at that time and lengthening Denver’s result in 21-0.

That wild conclusion capped an 18-play, 89-yard drive that lasted greater than 11 minutes, protecting Wentz cooling his cleats on the sideline subsequent to Mahomes, who was decked out in a white hoodie.

After Harrison Butker was large left on a 51-yard area aim — his first miss in 18 tries at Empower Area at Mile Excessive — Wil Lutz gave Denver a 24-0 halftime lead by nailing a 33-yarder with 3 seconds left.

The Broncos made it 31-0 on Mims’ second TD catch late within the third quarter and Audric Estime punched it in from the 1 within the fourth quarter.

The Chiefs will not play once more till Jan. 18 or 19, which means Mahomes, who final performed on Christmas Day, and different stars who sat this one out can have at the least 24 days between video games.

The Broncos are again within the playoffs for the primary time since successful Tremendous Bowl 50 after the 2015 season. That’s the longest playoff drought for a crew after elevating the Lombardi Trophy.

The Broncos’ clincher got here 3,255 days after Von Miller led them to a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Feb. 7, 2016, and their reward because the AFC’s seventh and closing seed is a visit to Buffalo subsequent weekend to face Miller within the first spherical of the playoffs.

The Payments had been the one different crew to beat Kansas Metropolis this season, 30-21 in Week 11.

The Chiefs’ loss ended their six-game win streak however eradicated the prospect of them having to presumably face Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow in some unspecified time in the future within the playoffs. The Bengals, who gained their fifth consecutive recreation Saturday night time at Pittsburgh, wanted Denver to lose to have an opportunity to sneak into the playoffs at 9-8.

The Chiefs, who had gained 17 of their earlier 18 video games towards the Broncos, had been planning on staying in Denver for the night time due to a winter storm that additionally delayed their flight into Colorado for a number of hours Saturday.

Chiefs DB Chamarri Conner injured a shoulder within the first half and was dominated out at the beginning of the third quarter. Additionally sitting out for Kansas Metropolis had been RB Isiah Pacheco (ribs), RT Jawaan Taylor (knee), CB Jaylen Watson (ankle), WR Mecole Hardman (knee), DE George Karlaftis, CB Trent McDuffie and DT Chris Jones (calf), amongst others.

The Broncos got here out of the sport wholesome. WR Lil’Jordan Humphrey left briefly with an ankle damage within the first half however solely missed a couple of snaps.

Chiefs: A primary-round bye as they get wholesome for the AFC divisional spherical Jan. 18-19.

Broncos: A go to subsequent weekend to Buffalo for a wild-card recreation towards the Payments.