False Start Wipes Out Mahomes Touchdown, Pushes Broncos to Division Lead

A false start by Kansas City right tackle Jaylon Moore erased a winning touchdown pass by Patrick Mahomes, costing the Chiefs a 28-24 loss to the Denver Broncos on Monday. The penalty occurred on a fourth-and-goal play from the one-yard line as time expired. Clete Blakeman’s officiating crew flagged the infraction, wiping out the score to Rashee Rice. The flag reset the down, allowing the Broncos to preserve their lead and extend their divisional advantage.

Following the penalty, the Chiefs faced a fourth-down situation at the six-yard line. Jonathon Cooper and Nick Bonitto collapsed the pocket, enabling Malcolm Roach to sack Mahomes. This stop prevented Kansas City from scoring and secured the victory for Denver. The Broncos now hold a 6-2 record, sitting half a game ahead of the 5-2 Chiefs in the AFC West. This result splits the season series between the two teams.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton credited the home crowd for the outcome. He stated that the noise level was so intense that it contributed to Moore’s infraction. Mahomes and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid contested the call. Reid described the flag as one man’s opinion, noting he saw movement but not a clear false start. Cooper pointed to the play immediately after the snap, indicating he observed the violation clearly.

Earlier in the fourth quarter, another penalty involving Moore created a confusing sequence for the Chiefs. With the score 24-13 and 13 minutes remaining, the officials flagged an illegal man downfield. After a prolonged review, the spotter initially placed the ball two yards short of the first-down marker. Payton declined the penalty, choosing to punt from fourth down. The officials then re-spotted the ball less than a foot from the goal, catching the teams and broadcast crew off guard. Reid did not call a timeout, and Matt Araiza punted the ball through the end zone.

Reid acknowledged the decision would have been different had the initial spot been known. Mahomes noted the team asked about the spot because fourth-and-inches differs vastly from fourth-and-2. The Broncos capitalized on the turnover, driving into scoring range. Rookie quarterback J.J. Nix connected with Nate Adkins for a two-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion to cut the lead to 24-21. The Chiefs subsequently missed a 54-yard field goal attempt by Harrison Butker, who has missed five of his last seven attempts from 50-plus yards.

Denver took the lead on a 51-yard catch-and-run by Jonah Coleman, followed by a five-yard touchdown run. Mahomes drove the Chiefs back to the Denver one-yard line with 15 seconds left. The final play ended with the false start, which Roach described as a moment of relief. Moore called the loss particularly painful due to the tight margin. The Broncos have now won 15 consecutive one-score games, a streak that includes 15 game-winning drives by Nix in the fourth quarter or overtime.

The Chiefs had held a double-digit lead late in the game. This marked only their third loss in 83 instances where they led by double digits in the fourth quarter. The result extends the Broncos’ recent momentum. They have scored 70 points in fourth quarters this season, compared to significantly lower totals in previous periods. The victory solidifies their position atop the AFC West standings heading into the final stretch of the schedule.