Mahomes rallies Chiefs

The Associated Press

DENVER–Patrick Mahomes is athletic, agile–and ambidextrous, apparently.
Thanks in part to a nifty left-handed throw as he was about to get sacked by Von Miller at midfield on the game-winning drive, the right-handed Mahomes rallied the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs past the Denver Broncos 27-23 last night.
By overcoming a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit, the Chiefs (4-0) took a two-game lead over the Broncos (2-2), their AFC West rivals whom they’ve now beaten six-straight times.
The only other remaining unbeaten team is the L.A. Rams.
Down 23-13, Mahomes directed a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ate up more than six minutes and culminated with a two-yard TD toss to tight end Travis Kelce.
Then after a three-and-out by Denver, Mahomes added a 60-yard touchdown drive–handing off to Kareem Hunt for the four-yard score with 1:39 to go.
On that last drive, Mahomes was getting dragged down by Miller on third-and-five at midfield when he shifted the ball to his left hand and threw it to Tyreek Hill a yard past the first-down marker at the Broncos’ 49.
“He’s actually more athletic than people [realize],” said Denver linebacker Brandon Marshall.
“People talk about his arm but he can move out of the pocket and make the necessary throws.”
Even with his left hand.
“Patrick worked real hard on that left-handed throw,” quipped Chiefs’ coach Andy Reid. “Some amazing plays there.
“We’ve seen it in practice but not under those conditions,” he noted.
Mahomes proved slippery all night.
“We played well and we got to him, but he would scramble out to his right as he likes to do,” Marshall said.
“It’s almost like we’d have him in our fingertips, and he’d scramble away and throw for a first down.”
It was the first time since 2004 that the Broncos blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead at home.
In between Kansas City’s scoring drives, the Broncos, who had run roughshod over the Chiefs all night (a 7.2-yard average per run), suddenly abandoned their ground game in favour of three-wide receiver sets that resulted in a quick three-and-out that sent Denver’s exhausted defenders right back out.
“We ran the ball to control the game,” said Broncos’ coach Vance Joseph. “But you throw the ball to score.”
After the three-and-out, struggling Broncos’ punter Marquette King shanked a 35-yarder out of bounds–giving the Chiefs the ball at their 40 with 4:35 left.
“He’s got to perform better,” Joseph stressed. “We’re at home and it’s his job to flip the field.
“It ain’t happening.”