Chiefs eliminate defending Super Bowl champion Broncos from playoff contention
Kansas City Chiefs' player Travis Kelce (L) runs the ball for a touchdown in for a touchdown in the first half of the NFL football game between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas day at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, 25 December 2016. Credit: EPA / LARRY W. SMITH
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With their postseason spot already secured, the Kansas City Chiefs turned to Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill to beat the Denver Broncos, 33-10, last night and keep their AFC West title hopes alive.
Kelce had 11 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown and Hill took a handoff 70 yards for another score as the Chiefs (11-4) eliminated the defending Super Bowl champion Broncos (8-7) from postseason contention.
Kansas City punctuated the win when on third-and-goal from the 2 with the Chiefs leading by 17 points and less than two minutes left, 346-pound defensive tackle Dontari Poe lined up at quarterback in the shotgun, ran toward the line of scrimmage, stopped and lobbed a jump pass to a wide-open Demetrius Harris for a touchdown.
The Chiefs already were assured of a wild card when Pittsburgh beat Baltimore earlier in the day. A win next weekend in San Diego coupled with an Oakland loss in Denver would give the Chiefs their first division title since 2010.
The Broncos trudged through another inept offensive performance. Trevor Siemian was 17-for-43 for 183 yards and a game-ending interception, and the only touchdown drive he led came after an interception gave him the ball at the Kansas City 6.
The lackluster performance came one week after a dismal showing in a 16-3 loss to New England led to a locker-room shouting match between the Denver offense and defense. The Broncos downplayed any kind of disharmony, but their performance on a sloppy, soggy Christmas night at Arrowhead Stadium seemed to underscore the rift during a most frustrating of seasons.
Kansas City took control of the prime-time matchup from the opening bell. Alex Smith capped a 77-yard touchdown march with a 10-yard keeper in the first quarter, and Hill outran the banged-up Broncos a few minutes later to give the Chiefs a 14-0 lead. It was the fourth touchdown scored by Hill against the Broncos this season.
Kelce took a screen pass and followed perfectly executed blocking for an 80-yard touchdown and a 21-7 lead. — AP
AFC Playoff Picture
The six playoff-bound teams in the AFC are all set after yesterday’s Steelers and Chiefs wins. Seeds can still change, but here’s how things stand going into Week 17:
1. New England (13-2)
2. Oakland (12-3)
3. Pittsburgh (10-5)
4. Houston (9-6)
5. Kansas City (11-4)
6. Miami (10-5)
Note: Pittsburgh, Houston and Miami are locked into their seeds.
