The Broncos responded with their fourth drive of the game of 14 or more plays.
It was the 12th play of that drive, a fourth-and-2 at the Chiefs’ 9-yard line, that set the tone for the rest of the game.
Denver’s offense was lined up to go for it, but never actually called a play.
“We were going to take the penalty, kick the field goal,” Payton said. That was the plan.”
The plan backfired, only to the detriment of the Chiefs, when defensive lineman Chris Jones was fouled in the neutral zone to give Denver a first down four yards from the pay dirt.
Two snaps later and the Broncos were in the end zone after Nix scrambled to his right and scored on running back RJ Harvey.
“Scoring seven really changes the dynamic with his kicker,” Payton said. “You know how the kicking game is, like you’re starting the 35 average, so it really changed the outcome of the game that they needed a touchdown.
Kansas City did start at the 35-yard line, and Oladokun put together the longest drive of the night with Patrick Mahomes watching from the press box. He scrambled for seven yards and hit Travis Kelce three times for 23 yards in what might be the tight end’s last home run as a Chief. Kareem Hunt also contributed a 14-yard rumble.
Kansas City’s combined effort got the ball to Denver’s 21-yard line, certainly close enough for Harrison Butker, who had already made field goals of 53 and 47 yards, to send the game into overtime with the Chiefs trailing by just three. A false start following the top of the second down instead brought the Chiefs back and two incompletions ended their comeback bid.
The difference came down to cashing in on a successful punt and holding off a TD effort instead of one.
As they have done all season, the Broncos won the game by inches.
While it could be argued that they should have put their opponent away much earlier and that the Broncos can’t get away with it like this forever, Houdini’s consistent performance has kept them as the AFC’s No. 1 leader and the Chargers one loss from clinching the AFC West.
When asked if it would be weird to clinch the title on the couch Saturday if Los Angeles lost to Texas, Payton disagreed.
“It would be relaxing,” he said. “That would be fun.”
If the Chargers win, however, Denver and LA will meet in a Week 18 showdown for the division.
It would be a game that both the Broncos and their fans would prefer to win in “relaxed” fashion.
Once again, they’ve gone from strength to strength like they did in Week 17 to stellar results all year.