Game Day

Chiefs at Broncos Sunday, January 03, 2010 3:15 PM
1 2 3 4 Total Chiefs 7 3 17 17 44 Broncos 0 10 14 0 24 Final

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by Luke Shanno

Denver, CO – It was a record-setting day for a pair of former Texas Longhorns as RB Jamaal Charles set a franchise single-game rushing record with 259 yards and a pair of TDs. Meanwhile, LB Derrick Johnson tied an NFL record by returning two INTs for touchdowns as Kansas City knocked Denver out of the playoff chase and registered the franchise’s first-ever victory at INVESCO Field. Charles’ 259 rushing yards were the second-highest total ever amassed by individual against the Broncos, while Kansas City’s 317 team rushing yards were the fourth-highest tally in franchise history.

Kansas City’s 44 points were the club’s most at Denver since a 45-24 win (10/1/72). The Chiefs 20-point win was the club’s biggest margin of victory at Denver since registering a 37-16 win at Mile High Stadium (12/19/82).

Charles became the ninth player in franchise annals to register a 1,000-yard rushing season, eclipsing the plateau on a five-yard TD run that gave Kansas City a 17-10 lead with 10:35 left in the third quarter. He finished the season with 1,120 yards. Broncos WR Jabar Gaffney was Denver’s offensive bright spot, totaling 14 catches for 213 yards. In total, the Chiefs finished the game with 524 total net yards.

Kansas City held Denver to a three and out on the game’s opening series and marched 86 yards down the field 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.

On Denver’s next possession, Kansas City’s defense kept 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 a 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 CB Brandon Carr was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, giving Denver the ball on KC’s 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. 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 K Matt 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 then 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 WR Brandon Lloyd. Moreno took the ball in from the one-yard line, capping a 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.

LB 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.

RB Correll 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 pass intended for 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 pass to Lloyd, Derrick Johnson recorded his second INT return 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.