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DENVER — Linebacker Nick Bolton’s 86-yard fumble return after Melvin Ingram III darted into Denver’s backfield untouched and stripped Melvin Gordon powered the Chiefs to a 28-24 victory over the Broncos on Saturday.
With their 13th consecutive win over the Broncos, the Chiefs (12-5) kept alive their hopes of getting the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.
They need Houston to upset Tennessee on Sunday to get the pole position, otherwise, they’re the second seed and will host a wild-card game next weekend in their quest to reach a third consecutive Super Bowl.
“We’re ready to go against wherever against whomever,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said.
Wide receiver Tyreek Hill could surely use the week off that goes to the top seed in each conference. He injured a heel in pregame warmups and was held to one catch for 2 yards.
With Hill hurt, Mecole Hardman stepped up with eight catches for 103 yards.
“No one is Tyreek. He’s a special player that has never been seen in this league,” Mahomes said. “But Mecole is pretty close. … He was prepared for this moment.”
The Broncos (7-10) were ahead 21-20 and driving for another touchdown when Ingram sped past tight end Noah Fant and blew up the play just as Drew Lock handed the ball to Gordon.
Bolton scooped up the loose ball and rumbled 86 yards to give the Chiefs their biggest lead, and Mahomes’ keeper on the 2-point conversion made it 28-21.
Lock and the Broncos quickly got into scoring position again, but coach Vic Fangio, who fell to 19-30 as Denver’s head coach, decided on a field goal on fourth-and-9 from the 13 as the crowd relentlessly booed the decision.
Fangio explained that kicking the field goal with 4:37 left gave his team a chance to get a stop and get the ball back. Even if they gave up a field goal, they’d be down a touchdown and could tie it: “I understand the second-guessing there and going for it. But fourth-and-9, your chances are not great.”
Brandon McManus nailed the 31-yarder, but the Broncos still trailed by four and would have needed a touchdown if they were able to stop Mahomes.
They weren’t.
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