The Nationals’ Weird Season: They’re Beaten Up And Sailing Along

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When Audric Estime’s opportunity arrived, he ran with it. The rookie running back provided punch to the Broncos’ ground game Sunday in his most extensive work to date. It might signal just the start of an expanded role for the fifth-round draft pick out of Notre Dame. “We keep wanting to get him involved,” head coach Sean Payton said.

The Denver Broncos lost a heartbreaker to the Kansas City Chiefs 16-14 on a last second blocked kick at Geha Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on November 10, 2024.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wil Lutz thought the ball felt good off his foot. The Broncos kicker will never know for sure. Denver had the game on his foot — and in the care of the field goal protection group — and saw a certain win vanish in a flash of red. Instead of a defining win, the Broncos suffered a crusher of a 16-14 loss here Sunday when Lutz’s 35-yard walk-off field goal attempt got blocked. “It didn’t go in,” Lutz said.

OFFENSE — B+ Bo Nix and the Broncos offense cooked for a while in the first half. When he threw a touchdown to Courtland Sutton for a 14-3 lead, Nix was sitting at 10 of 13 for 127 yards passing and two scores. But the group went mostly dark after that. They netted just 10 yards and no points in their first three drives of the second half.

Initial thoughts from the Broncos’ 16-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10 at Arrowhead Stadium: 1. Payton needs to not get cute on the road: Thumbs-up to Broncos coach Sean Payton for playing to Bo Nix’s strengths and rocking the no-huddle approach. But what the heck was up with some of those calls in the second half?

Stat line: 22-for-30 passing for 215 yards, two touchdowns; two carries, minus-2 yards Highlight: Bo Nix’s 32-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton was a thing of beauty. Sutton did a fantastic job creating separation from cornerback Trent McDuffie before Nix placed the ball perfectly in the end zone to give Denver a 14-3 lead in the second quarter.