Denver Broncos vs Kansas City Chiefs Match Player Stats (Nov 16, 2025)
Wil Lutz drilled a 35 yard field goal as time expired, lifting the Broncos to a 22 to 19 victory over Kansas City on November 16, 2025 at Empower Field at Mile High. Travis Kelce caught 9 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown for the Chiefs, while Ja’Quan McMillian recorded 2 sacks and an interception for Denver. Bo Nix completed 24 of 37 passes for 295 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions as Denver extended their winning streak to eight games.
Table of Contents
Game Summary
| Quarter | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 19 |
| Broncos | 6 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 22 |
Location: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
Attendance: 75,911
Weather: Sunny, 70°F, 23% humidity, 6 mph wind
This Week 11 game recap shows Denver improving to 9 and 2, tying New England for the best record in the NFL. Kansas City dropped to 5 and 5, falling 3.5 games behind in the AFC West standings. The Chiefs are now 0 and 5 in one-score games this season after going 12 and 0 in such situations last year.
Quarterback Performance
| Quarterback | Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | QBR | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Mahomes | KC | 29/45 | 276 | 1 | 1 | 3 for 27 | 56.4 | 79.5 |
| Bo Nix | DEN | 24/37 | 295 | 0 | 0 | 2 for 12 | 43.2 | 89.4 |
Mahomes missed deep shots to Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton on the opening drive. McMillian picked him off in the red zone during the second quarter, ending the threat. Kansas City went three and out on their final two possessions, including a crucial sack by McMillian on third and 10 late in the fourth quarter.
Nix avoided turnovers and delivered in key moments. His 32 yard strike to Troy Franklin in the final minute positioned Lutz for the winner. On third and 15 with under two minutes to play, he found Courtland Sutton for 20 yards. Nix has five game-winning drives this season, tied for most in the league.
Rushing Statistics
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Average | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kareem Hunt | KC | 13 | 59 | 4.5 | 1 | 11 |
| RJ Harvey | DEN | 11 | 30 | 2.7 | 0 | 7 |
| Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN | 6 | 19 | 3.2 | 1 | 5 |
| Bo Nix | DEN | 3 | 8 | 2.7 | 0 | 8 |
| Patrick Mahomes | KC | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 |
Hunt carried 13 times for 59 yards and a 2 yard touchdown that tied the game at 13 in the third quarter.
His 11 yard run in the first quarter was his longest of the day. McLaughlin scored on a 4 yard run to give Denver a 13 to 6 lead. Both teams struggled on the ground, with Kansas City averaging 4.4 per carry on just 14 attempts while Denver managed 2.8 on 21 carries.
Receiving Leaders
| Receiver | Team | Targets | Receptions | Yards | Average | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Kelce | KC | 13 | 9 | 91 | 10.1 | 1 | 21 |
| Troy Franklin | DEN | 8 | 4 | 84 | 21.0 | 0 | 35 |
| Pat Bryant | DEN | 6 | 5 | 82 | 16.4 | 0 | 48 |
| Tyquan Thornton | KC | 2 | 1 | 61 | 61.0 | 0 | 61 |
| Courtland Sutton | DEN | 8 | 4 | 59 | 14.8 | 0 | 21 |
| Marquise Brown | KC | 4 | 4 | 40 | 10.0 | 0 | 18 |
| Rashee Rice | KC | 9 | 6 | 38 | 6.3 | 0 | 11 |
| Xavier Worthy | KC | 5 | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 0 | 11 |
| Evan Engram | DEN | 5 | 4 | 33 | 8.3 | 0 | 9 |
Kelce became the Chiefs’ all-time touchdown leader with his 21 yard fourth quarter catch, his 84th career score surpassing Priest Holmes. The 36 year old tight end caught 9 of 13 targets and broke tackles after the catch. Mahomes targeted him repeatedly in critical situations.
Franklin’s 32 yard grab in the final minute set up the game winner. He finished with a career high 84 yards on 4 receptions, including a 35 yard catch that fueled an earlier scoring drive. Bryant added 5 catches for 82 yards, highlighted by a 48 yard reception late in the third quarter. Thornton’s 61 yard catch on third and 7 was Kansas City’s only deep shot all afternoon. The Chiefs also drew 87 yards in pass interference penalties against Riley Moss that led to scoring opportunities.
Defensive Standouts
Kansas City Defense
| Player | Position | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamarri Conner | S | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Drue Tranquill | LB | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Roland-Wallace | S | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nick Bolton | LB | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Bryan Cook | S | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leo Chenal | LB | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Trent McDuffie | CB | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| George Karlaftis | ED | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Denver Defense
| Player | Position | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Strnad | LB | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja’Quan McMillian | CB | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Talanoa Hufanga | S | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brandon Jones | S | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Riley Moss | CB | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kris Abrams-Draine | CB | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jahdae Barron | CB | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dre Greenlaw | LB | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonathon Cooper | ED | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
McMillian became the first cornerback in Broncos history to record 2 sacks and an interception in one game.
The red zone interception prevented a Chiefs touchdown in the second quarter. When McMillian sacked Mahomes on third and 10 with 3:53 to play, it forced the punt that gave Denver possession for the winning drive. D.J. Jones and Quandarrius Robinson added sacks as Denver held Kansas City to 1 of 4 in the red zone.
Conner led the Chiefs with 8 tackles and a sack on the opening drive. The defense held Denver to 5 of 15 on third downs and one touchdown in five red zone trips but couldn’t get stops late. Steve Spagnuolo’s conservative third and 15 coverage gave Nix time to find Sutton for the crucial first down.
Special Teams Battle
Kicking Stats
| Kicker | Team | FG Made/Att | Long | XP Made/Att | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wil Lutz | DEN | 5/5 | 54 | 1/1 | 16 |
| Harrison Butker | KC | 2/2 | 31 | 1/2 | 7 |
Returns and Punting
| Category | Chiefs | Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Punt Returns | 2 for 19 yards (9.5 avg) | 3 for 101 yards (33.7 avg) |
| Kick Returns | 6 for 157 yards (26.2 avg) | 3 for 79 yards (26.3 avg) |
| Punting Average | 59.5 yards (4 punts) | 52.8 yards (4 punts) |
Lutz hit all five field goal attempts from 29, 24, 38, 54, and 35 yards. His 54 yarder tied the game at 19 with 4:10 remaining. His 35 yard winner came from the same distance as last year’s blocked attempt.
Butker made both field goals but Frank Crum burst through the line and got a hand on the extra point after Kelce’s touchdown. The block kept the Chiefs’ lead at three instead of four. When Lutz tied it with a 54 yarder minutes later, that one point proved decisive.
Marvin Mims Jr. returned a punt 70 yards in the first quarter, putting Denver in position for their first field goal. His 24 yard fourth quarter return gave the team good field position for the tying drive. Matt Araiza averaged 59.5 yards on four punts, including 61 and 67 yard boots that flipped field position.
Box Score Breakdown
| Metric | Chiefs | Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Total Plays | 62 | 61 |
| Total Yards | 311 | 342 |
| Yards Per Play | 5.0 | 5.6 |
| First Downs | 19 | 16 |
| Third Down % | 38.5% | 46.7% |
| Fourth Down % | 0% | 0% |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 1 of 4 | 1 of 5 |
| Penalties | 10 for 69 | 10 for 147 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of Possession | 30:31 | 29:29 |
Kansas City controlled possession but converted just 5 of 13 third downs. Denver committed 10 penalties for 147 yards, including holdings that killed drives. The Broncos won despite scoring one offensive touchdown, a testament to their defensive dominance and special teams execution.
Game Highlights
First Quarter: Mims returned a punt 70 yards, leading to Denver’s first field goal. Kansas City answered with Butker’s 31 yarder.
Second Quarter: McMillian’s red zone interception stopped a Chiefs drive. Denver’s 16 play, 77 yard march ended with a field goal for a 6 to 6 halftime tie.
Third Quarter: McLaughlin’s 4 yard touchdown gave Denver a 13 to 6 lead. Thornton’s 61 yard catch led to Hunt’s 2 yard score that tied it at 13.
Fourth Quarter: Kelce’s 21 yard touchdown put Kansas City up 19 to 16, but Crum blocked the extra point. Lutz’s 54 yarder tied it. After Kansas City went three and out, Nix drove 58 yards in 10 plays for Lutz’s winner.
Division Race Shifts
Denver now leads the AFC West by 3.5 games at 9 and 2 while Kansas City sits at 5 and 5. The Chiefs have won the division every year since 2016, but that streak faces serious jeopardy. According to ESPN, Kansas City has a 44.6 percent chance of missing the playoffs after this loss.
This game reversed last year’s ending. On November 10, 2024, Leo Chenal blocked Lutz’s 35 yard attempt at Arrowhead Stadium as time expired in a 16 to 14 Chiefs win. “I was kind of like, shoot, here we are,” Lutz said after getting redemption. “I’ve been waiting for a game like that.”
Kansas City went 10 and 0 in games decided by seven points or fewer last season, including playoffs. This year they’re 0 and 5. Mahomes has thrown red zone interceptions in three of the Chiefs’ five losses. The three-time Super Bowl MVP was direct after the game: “It sucks. Don’t get me wrong. You got to feel that, but you got to be able to kind of use that energy to push it into the next week.”
Nix has grown since his rough outing against Las Vegas 10 days earlier when he threw two picks in a 10 to 7 win. He’s now 7 and 2 in one-score games as a rookie with five game-winning drives.
What Decided It
Three critical special teams plays turned this game.
Crum’s blocked extra point changed everything. When Lutz tied it with a 54 yarder, the game was even instead of Denver trailing by a point. That block fundamentally altered the final minutes.
Denver entered leading the NFL with 46 sacks through 10 games, the most by any team in its first 10 contests since at least 1990 according to NFL statistics. They added three more and hit Mahomes eight times. When McMillian sacked Mahomes on third and 10 late in the fourth quarter, it forced the punt that gave Denver possession at their own 26 with 2:59 remaining.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph mixed coverages all afternoon, playing two-deep zones while bringing delayed safety blitzes. That pressure forced Mahomes into mistakes, including the red zone pick and rushed throws on the final two possessions where Kansas City gained negative 11 yards total.
Playoff Picture
Denver heads into their bye at 9 and 2 before facing Washington on November 30, then hosting Jacksonville and Green Bay. A Christmas rematch at Kansas City follows. The Broncos haven’t won the AFC West since 2015. They’ve now beaten Kansas City three times in the last four meetings after losing 16 straight from October 2015 through Week 18 of 2023.
Kansas City travels to Indianapolis next Sunday to face the 8 and 2 Colts, then hosts Dallas on November 24 and visits Tennessee on November 30. The Chiefs need at least five wins in their final seven games to feel comfortable about the playoffs.
Current NFL standings show Buffalo at 7 and 3, Los Angeles at 7 and 4, and Indianapolis at 8 and 2 in the AFC. Kansas City sits ninth at 5 and 5, outside the playoff picture for the first time since 2017.
Crum’s blocked extra point, Lutz hitting all five field goal attempts, and McMillian’s fourth quarter sack made the difference between winning and losing.
