Roach’s historic sack has Broncos one-score magic echoing Manning’s Colts

The Broncos pulled off another fourth-quarter comeback on Sunday, and this one put them in first place in the AFC West, and into the history books.

Denver trailed Kansas City 24-13 going into the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. The Broncos scored the game’s last 15 points, and the defense stopped the Chiefs at the goal line in the final seconds to win 28-24. The win moves Denver to 6-2, 4-0 at home and a half-game ahead of the 5-2 Chiefs in the division.

The comeback added to a growing list of records. The Broncos have now won 15 straight regular-season games decided by one score, tying the 2008-09 Indianapolis Colts for the longest streak in NFL history. Bo Nix picked up his 13th career fourth-quarter comeback win, playoffs included, the most by any quarterback in his first three seasons since starting quarterbacks were first tracked in 1950.

The comeback started with a defensive stop. Kansas City led 24-21 and had the ball at the Denver 30 when linebacker Alex Singleton sacked Patrick Mahomes for a six-yard loss. The sack pushed Harrison Butker back to a 54-yard field goal try, and he missed it wide right. Singleton finished with a game-high 14 tackles.

Denver scored quickly after the miss. Nix threw a short pass to rookie Jonah Coleman, who took it 51 yards to the Kansas City 5. Coleman ran it in on the next play to give Denver the lead with 1:56 left.

Kansas City still had plenty of time. Mahomes drove the Chiefs to the Denver 1-yard line with 15 seconds to go. The Broncos stuffed them twice, and a false start then pushed Kansas City back. On the final snap, defensive tackle Malcolm Roach brought Mahomes down at the 12 as time expired.

That sack put the Broncos alongside the same Colts team in another category. Denver and the 2008-09 Colts are the only teams in the last 35 seasons to come back from 10 or more points down in the fourth quarter of a one-possession game and win with a sack on the final play inside the 10-yard line.

The Broncos didn’t win on the stat sheet. Kansas City outgained them 399-294, and Mahomes went 30-for-41 for 321 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. The Chiefs were also penalized 11 times for 105 yards and left the field with nothing after reaching the Denver 1.

The win made up for the season opener, when Kansas City beat Denver 31-10 on Monday Night Football in Nix’s first game back from his broken ankle. Since a 2-2 start, the Broncos have won four straight. Sean Payton said this week that Sunday wasn’t a must-win game, but that a win would make the division race easier. It does. Denver now holds first place, and the two teams have split the season series.

This was the Broncos’ biggest win of the season, and they’ll carry that confidence into November. Denver visits the Carolina Panthers next Sunday, Nov. 8, at 11 a.m. MT on CBS. The Broncos have their bye the following week.

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