NFL
NFL Week 17
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The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs are facing off in the finale of today’s Christmas Day NFL games.
The game is tied at 13 in the fourth quarter. Follow for play-by-play updates and analysis of tonight's game.
Share your thoughts with us at live@theathletic.com and check out our live schedule here.
Q4 1:55 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 13
RJ Harvey rushes for 3 yards to the Kansas City 1. The Chiefs take their first timeout.
Q4 2:00 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 13
Denver jumps offside, and it’s Chris Jones. It’s the first penalty of the night against the Chiefs.
First down, Broncos!
Q4 2:00 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 13
On third-and-5, Bo Nix connects with Evan Engram on a short pass, but Engram can’t break free. And it will be fourth-and-2 after the two-minute warning.
Will the Broncos go for the first down or go for the lead with a field goal try? We shall see.
Q4 3:54 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 13
RJ Harvey gains another first down with a strong run, and the clock is ticking down on the home team. Denver is at the KC 17-yard line.
Denver has had the ball for more than 36 minutes, while KC has had it for just 19 minutes.
Q4 5:05 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 13
On third-and-10, Bo Nix has plenty of time to look over the field, and he finds Lil’Jordan Humphrey wide open over the middle for a 17-yard completion and a first down. The Broncos are at the Chiefs’ 28-yard line and in terrific shape for a go-ahead score.
Q4 6:37 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 13
RJ Harvey goes left and comes up with a terrific run around the end for a first down on third-and-short. The Broncos are in the Chiefs’ territory as they look to regain the lead.
Denver, with 10 one-score wins this season, is right where it wants to be, in another close game.
The Chiefs still haven’t reached 100 yards of total offense. They have just 95 yards, 34 passing and 61 rushing.
And yet, they are tied with the team that currently leads the AFC standings. This effort has been the absolute definition of hanging around.
Q4 8:03 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 13
The Chiefs’ drive stalls, so Andy Reid turns to Harrison Butker for the second time tonight. The Chiefs’ kicker connects from 47 yards, and we have a tie game for the first time tonight.
Q4 10:15 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 10
Chris Oladokun dances around in the pocket on first down, avoiding several Broncos defenders. He starts to scramble but then sees JuJu Smith-Schuster for a 9-yard connection. Kareem Hunt gets the first down, and here come the Chiefs.
Q4 11:25 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 10
A second straight third-and-4 for Denver, but this one doesn’t work out well. Bo Nix is cornered by the Chiefs’ defensive line, and Chris Jones gets the sack.
Denver punts, and Brashard Smith comes through with a dazzling return down the sideline, 43 yards to the Broncos’ 45-yard line.
Q4 13:45 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 10
Bo Nix faces a third-and-4 and throws a dart to the outside to Michael Bandy for the first down. That gets the Broncos’ drive off to a good start.
Q3 0:00 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 10
Denver forces a quick three-and-out, and Kansas City will have to punt when we come back from the TV break and open the fourth quarter.
A third 14-play drive for the Broncos in this game — and this time it ends with a touchdown as Bo Nix runs into the end zone to put Denver in front.
Q3 1:55 – Broncos 13, Chiefs 10
It is short, and it is a fourth down. But Bo Nix dives across the line for the first down, and the Broncos will have a first-and-goal situation. On the next play, Nix scrambles and then takes off. He fights his way into the end zone for a 9-yard TD run.
Q3 3:10 – Chiefs 10, Broncos 6
Two more sharp throws from Bo Nix: a 13-yarder to RJ Harvey and then a 3-yarder to Troy Franklin on third-and-short. Denver moves back into the red zone.
Facing third-and-5 from the 14-yard line, Nix connects with Franklin again, but it is just short of the first down. Or not? We'll see.
Q3 6:45 – Chiefs 10, Broncos 6
After an offensive pass interference call on a completion to Evan Engram, Bo Nix comes through with another terrific throw. He splits two defenders to Courtland Sutton, who makes a diving catch down the sideline to the Chiefs’ 30-yard line.
Q3 7:56 – Chiefs 10, Broncos 6
Nice throw from Bo Nix to Adam Trautman on third down gets the first down and moves the Broncos into the Chiefs’ territory.
The Dondrea Tillman sack is the 64th of the season for the Broncos, breaking last year's franchise record.
Q3 11:42 – Chiefs 10, Broncos 6
A 9-yard sack and an incompletion push back the Chiefs, and that is followed by a screen pass that loses yards. Harrison Butker comes on to try a 53-yard field goal, and he drives it inside the left upright.
