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DENVER -- The one thing the Denver Broncos do really well is win close games.
They stretched their winning streak in one-score games to 15 over the last two seasons by rallying past the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 on Sunday and dropping Patrick Mahomes to 80-3 in his career when leading by double digits in the fourth quarter.
"Obviously a big win," Denver coach Sean Payton said after his 200th career victory. "And I'm proud of the grit."
Malcolm Roach sacked Mahomes on fourth-and-goal on the final play, preserving Denver's win that vaulted Broncos (6-2) into first place in the AFC West, a half-game ahead of Kansas City (5-2), which lost its second straight.
The Broncos trailed 24-13 early in the fourth quarter, but Bo Nix threw a 2-yard TD pass to tight end Nate Adkins and found Jaylen Waddle for the 2-point conversion to pull Denver within 24-21.
After Kansas City's scuffling kicker Harrison Butker missed wide right on a 54-yard field goal attempt in a steady rain with 2¢ minutes remaining -- one play after Alex Singleton sacked Mahomes for a 6-yard loss -- the Broncos needed just two plays and 35 seconds to take the lead.
Nix, whose 13 career fourth-quarter comebacks are the most in the NFL since his debut in 2024, hit rookie running back Jonah Coleman for a 51-yard gain on first down. Coleman ran for a 5-yard touchdown on the next snap.
"It's always fun to throw it short and they run for a long time," Nix said.
That left Mahomes just under 2 minutes to mount his own comeback.
On fourth-and-goal from the 1, Mahomes threw what he thought was the game-winner to Rashee Rice over the middle, but the play was wiped out by a false start penalty on right tackle Jaylon Moore.
Mahomes then took the snap with 4 seconds left but Roach broke through the line alongside Nik Bonitto and smothered Mahomes for a 6-yard loss before he could get the throw off.