The Kansas City Chiefs remain the last undefeated team in the NFL after a blocked field goal on the final play of the game to defeat the Denver Broncos 16-14. Here are three takeaways from the Chiefs’ Week 10 victory.

Quarterback duel

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes faced off against rookie quarterback Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos and surprisingly, they both impressed. Both quarterbacks, despite the low score, had productive numbers overall. Mahomes continued his stint of good games with 266 passing yards on a 67% passing percentage, adding a touchdown. Mahomes has now thrown for a total of 819 yards on a 72% completion percentage with six touchdowns and just one interception in his last three games.

On the other side of the ball, Nix had a breakout game throwing for 215 yards on a 73% completion percentage paired with two touchdowns.

Lack of a run game

A big reason for the offense’s struggles was due to the inability to establish the run game. Neither team could get enough of a persistent running game going. Denver tried to coax the run throughout the 26 minutes and 39 seconds they had possession, rushing the ball 23 times but only managing to pick up 78 total yards on the ground for just an average of 3.4 yards per carry.

On the other hand, Kansas City relied on its run game to keep its offense moving throughout the season, averaging 122.4 rushing yards per game entering the matchup with Denver. However, this production was not seen against the Broncos, as the Chiefs rushed for just 57 yards. Running back Kareem Hunt led the way with 35 rushing yards on a total of 14 carries for just 2.5 yards per carry.

Other keys to the game

While Hunt wasn’t able to get it going on the ground, he was productive while catching passes. Hunt was the leading receiver for Kansas City with 65 yards on seven receptions, just in front of tight end Travis Kelce who pulled in eight receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins also continued to be productive, catching four balls for 56 yards.

Another factor that limited the Chiefs’ production offense was the consistent pressure put on Mahomes by the Broncos’ defensive line. Mahomes was pressured on 20 dropbacks and was sacked a total of four times.

The ending of this game was simply miraculous. With just one second left on the clock in the fourth quarter, Denver kicker Wil Lutz lined up for a 35-yard field goal to win the game. The kick was blocked thanks to pressure up front by the Chiefs’ special teams unit, as linebacker Leo Chenal was the one to get his hand on the ball, block the kick and secure an incredible 16-14 victory.

Next Week

The Chiefs take on the Buffalo Bills at 3:25 on Sunday, Nov. 17 in Buffalo, New York.

Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com

Edited by Emily Skidmore | eskidmore@themaneater.com