The Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High. Jonah Coleman's 5-yard touchdown run with 1:56 left won it. Bo Nix threw touchdown passes to Jaylen Waddle and Nate Adkins as Denver moved to 6-2.

Denver Won on Finishing, Not on Yardage

Kansas City moved the ball better and still lost. The Chiefs gained 399 yards to Denver's 294 and averaged 6 yards a play, while the Broncos averaged just over 5.

The difference came once drives got close. Denver went 3-for-3 in the red zone, while Kansas City went 2-for-3. In a game decided by one score, a single empty trip inside the 20 is enough to swing it.

Denver also converted when it had no other choice. The Broncos were just 2 of 11 on third down but perfect on fourth down. Kansas City failed on its only fourth-down try.

Total yards: KC – 399, DEN – 294
Yards per play: KC – 6.0, DEN – 5.2
Red zone: KC – 2-3, DEN – 3-3
Third down: KC – 6-14, DEN – 2-11
Fourth down: KC – 0-1, DEN – 2-2

Kansas City's Penalties Undid a Clean Day With the Ball

Neither team turned the ball over, which makes the flags the clearest self-inflicted damage in this game. Kansas City was penalized 11 times for 105 yards. Denver was flagged 6 times for 45.

Those penalties fed the Denver offense directly. The Broncos picked up 5 of their 21 first downs by penalty, which covered for a third-down offense that kept stalling.

The Chiefs' passing game was otherwise sharp. Kansas City completed 30 of 41 passes for 309 net yards without an interception. Every Chiefs touchdown came on a Patrick Mahomes throw, including a 73-yard score to Emmett Johnson.

The offense went quiet at the worst time. Kansas City did not score after Noah Gray's 4-yard touchdown catch late in the third quarter. Denver answered with Nix's 2-yard pass to Adkins, a two-point conversion to Waddle and Coleman's game-winner.

Penalties: KC – 11-105, DEN – 6-45
First downs by penalty: KC – 3, DEN – 5
Passing: KC – 30/41, 309 YDS; DEN – 20/32, 217 YDS
Rushing: KC – 24 ATT, 90 YDS; DEN – 23 ATT, 77 YDS

Mile High Is Still Denver's Biggest Edge

Denver is now 4-0 at home and 2-2 on the road. This was not a dominant home performance by the numbers, but it went into the home win column all the same.

The split cuts the other way for Kansas City. The Chiefs are 3-0 at home and 2-2 away. This road loss came in a game where they outgained the home team and held the ball for 31:29.

The Broncos' home record is the most bankable thing about them right now. Kansas City's problem is the reverse: it has not yet shown it can win consistently away from home, and this was a road game it had every chance to take.

What It Means

Denver moves to 6-2 and stays unbeaten at home, winning a game it was outgained in by cashing every red-zone trip. That formula holds only if the finishing keeps up, because the third-down offense gave it little help.

Kansas City falls to 5-2 with a road record that is now break-even. The offense did enough to win. The penalties and a scoreless fourth quarter are what the Chiefs have to fix.