Bolles Anchors Line as Broncos Beat Chiefs 28-24

The Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High. The game featured a stark contrast between the team's defensive anchor and its offensive line struggles. Garett Bolles delivered a dominant performance at left tackle. He allowed zero pressure on 35 pass plays against the Chiefs. That stat marks him as the only left tackle in the NFL to avoid a pressure in three separate games this season, according to Next Gen Stats. Bolles is 34 years old and has spent more than half a decade playing at an elite level. He remained quiet about seeking the NFL's Protector of the Year award this year after losing it to Chicago Bears guard Joe Thuney last season.

JL Skinner provided a decisive defensive play near the end of the game. The safety had played on just 56 defensive snaps in his NFL career entering Sunday. He entered the game after Brandon Jones was injured just before halftime. With the game on the line, Skinner faced Kenneth Walker III one-on-one in the hole. Walker is one of the league's top running backs. Skinner drove his legs through the play and stopped Walker from crossing the goal line. The tackle preserved Denver's lead. Skinner said after the game, “I wake up ready to tackle.”

Jonah Coleman showed why the Broncos may not need to trade for a new running back. The rookie recorded 104 yards from scrimmage on Sunday. That was the first time a Broncos running back has exceeded 100 yards from scrimmage this season. Coleman finished the game with a two-play sequence. He caught a 51-yard pass and then ran for a 5-yard touchdown. The plays demonstrated his receiving ability and contact balance.

Troy Franklin continued to earn trust from head coach Sean Payton. His performance included a rub route that freed Jaylen Waddle for a 1-yard touchdown. Franklin also blocked effectively to help Coleman gain yards on a key fourth-quarter catch. He drew a pass interference penalty early in the game on a deep throw down the left sideline. That penalty moved the Broncos into favorable field position. Franklin has been a reliable presence for the offense over the last two weeks in the absence of Pat Bryant.

Ja’Quan McMillian recognized a play call that the Chiefs used in two consecutive Super Bowls. Kansas City sent outside receiver Xavier Worthy into motion toward the quarterback. The goal was to confuse coverage assignments on a second-and-goal from the 1-yard line. McMillian switched onto Worthy quickly. He closed the gap and forced Patrick Mahomes to scramble outside the pocket. Mahomes threw the ball away. The play set up the final goal-line stand that ended the game.

J.K. Dobbins struggled on the offensive line and in the backfield. The 27-year-old running back lost 8 yards on a rushing attempt, leaving the offense behind the chains. His production has lagged far behind Coleman's this season. Dobbins appeared a step slower getting through the hole. He insisted after last week's win that his limited second-half snaps were due to workload management rather than performance issues.

Mike McGlinchey had a rough day at center. Chiefs edge rusher George Karlaftis beat him with several bull rushes. On one play, Karlaftis got his arm into Bo Nix's passing lane and disrupted the attempt. Payton said Monday that protection and technique issues put defenders directly in Nix's face. The coaching staff noted they need to clean up those errors.

Justin Strnad was beaten on a key defensive play. On Emmett Johnson's 38-yard reception late in the first half, Strnad got caught flat-footed. Johnson broke to the right and created separation. By the time Johnson caught the pass, Strnad was trailing the play. Strnad recorded three tackles on the day, compared to 16 for Alex Singleton.