DENVER — Linebacker Nick Bolton’s 86-yard fumble return after Melvin Ingram III darted into Denver’s backfield untouched and stripped Melvin Gordon powered the Kansas City Chiefs to a 28-24 victory over the Denver Broncos on Saturday.
With their 13th consecutive win over the Broncos, the Chiefs (12-5) kept alive their hopes of getting the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.
They need Houston to upset Tennessee on Sunday to get the pole position; otherwise, they’re the second seed and will host a wild-card game next weekend in their quest to reach a third consecutive Super Bowl.
The Broncos (7-10) were ahead 21-20 and driving for another touchdown when Ingram sped past tight end Noah Fant and blew up the play just as Drew Lock handed the ball to Gordon. Bolton scooped up the loose ball and rumbled 86 yards to give the Chiefs their biggest lead, and Patrick Mahomes’ keeper on the 2-point conversion made it 28-21.
Lock and the Broncos quickly got into scoring position again, but Coach Vic Fangio, who fell to 19-30 as Denver’s head coach, decided on a field goal on third-and-9 from the 13 as the crowd relentlessly booed the decision.
McManus nailed the 31-yarder, but the Broncos still trailed by four and would need a touchdown if they were able to stop Mahomes.
They weren’t. On third-and-8 from the Denver 17, Mahomes found Travis Kelce for an 11-yard gain at the two-minute warning, with the Broncos having burned all their timeouts.
The Chiefs lined up in victory formation as the clock ticked down and the crowd of 61,441 — there were nearly 15,000 empty seats — streamed for the exits, a fifth straight losing season in the books and their playoff drought now stretched to six years.
COWBOYS 51, EAGLES 26: Dak Prescott threw a career-high five touchdown passes against Philadelphia backups, Cedrick Wilson and Dalton Schultz each had two scoring catches and visiting Dallas (12-5) kept its slim hopes alive for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs with a victory over the Eagles (9-8).
The Cowboys still had seeding to play for against an Eagles team that rested quarterback Jalen Hurts and other key starters ahead of an NFC wild-card game next week.
The NFC champion Cowboys need losses Sunday by reigning Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay against last-place Carolina and also for both the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals to lose to earn the No. 2 seed. There also is a path to the No. 3 seed for Dallas.
The Cowboys can’t finish worse than the fourth seed. The Eagles (9-8) will be the sixth or seventh seed.
NOTES
BROWNS: Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward has been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list and will miss Sunday’s season finale against Cincinnati.
Ward was already questionable with a groin injury suffered in Monday’s loss at Pittsburgh. The fourth-year corner had three interceptions, including a 99-yard return for a touchdown that set the tone in Cleveland’s 41-16 win over the Bengals on Nov. 17.
The Browns will finish a disappointing season without Ward and linebacker Malcolm Smith, also placed on the COVID-19 list.
Greedy Williams would be Ward’s likely replacement in the starting lineup, but he’s dealing with a shoulder injury and was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report. The Browns did activate running back D’Ernest Johnson off the COVID-19 list, and the timing is good since Nick Chubb (ribs/chest) and Kareem Hunt (ankle) are dealing with injuries and may sit out.
49ERS: The Niners activated safety Jimmie Ward and cornerbacks Dontae Johnson and K’Waun Williams from the COVID-19 list on Saturday. All three players tested positive earlier in the week but have been cleared to play.
San Francisco activated rookie cornerback Ambry Thomas from the COVID-19 list on Friday, leaving only rookie cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and injured running back Raheem Mostert on the COVID-19 list before the game at Los Angeles.
STEELERS: Defensive coordinator Keith Butler will not coach at Baltimore because of COVID-19 protocols. The team said Butler’s duties will be handled by Coach Mike Tomlin and secondary coach Teryl Austin.
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