DENVER (AP) — 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.
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Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs' Xavier Worthy during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos' Courtland Sutton catches a pass in front of Kansas City Chiefs' Chamarri Conner during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos' Alex Singleton sacks Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Kansas City Chiefs' Noah Gray celebrates his touchdown catch with Patrick Mahomes during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos' Alex Singleton sacks Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
“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 1/2 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 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 after recording his 15th career game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime and surpassing Dak Prescott (14 games) for the most such drives by a QB in his first three seasons since the 1970 merger.
After the Broncos pushed ahead, Mahomes had just under 2 minutes to mount his own comeback.
A 44-yard kickoff return by Emmett Johnson, who scored on a 73-yard reception in the first half, and a 32-yard catch by Travis Kelce, along with several big runs by Kenneth Walker III, helped the Chiefs get inside the Denver 5-yard line with 35 seconds left.
Patrick Surtain II stopped Walker at the 1 after a 3-yard run on first down.
Mahomes was pressured by Que Robinson and threw incomplete on second down.
On third down, third-string safety J.L. Skinner stuffed Walker for no gain.
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.
“If you could tangibly point to a crowd win,” that was it, Payton said. “The false start, I mean that's like just from a play-caller standpoint, 1 to the 6 and you're in another ZIP code with plays. That was huge.”
Said Mahomes: “I mean, at the end of the day, you got to go with whatever’s called. But a lot of times in those big moments, the little stuff doesn’t get called like that.”
On the do-over, Mahomes took the snap with 4 seconds left but Roach broke through the line alongside Nik Bonitto and smothered Mahomes for a 6-yard loss.
“They have a good defensive line,” Mahomes said. “I wish I had done a better job of getting the ball out, give somebody a chance.”
Nix was just as nervous as the 76,831 fans in attendance watching Denver's goal line stand.
“The fourth down was another crazy play by our defense,” Nix said. “And I'm very thankful for the illegal shift that allowed them to snap it again. And it's just an incredible stand by them. They just battled and battled on that drive and came out on top.”
Mahomes was also kicking himself for taking the sack before Butker's miss.
“I can’t put him in that position,” Mahomes said.
The Broncos went three-and-out on all three of their drives in the third quarter, but Nix directed touchdown drives on both of Denver's fourth-quarter possessions.
Nix finished 20 of 32 for 222 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. Mahomes was 30 of 41 for 321 yards, three TDs and no interceptions after struggling last week in a loss to Seattle.
Walker ran for 69 yards on 21 carries after rumbling for 173 yards against Denver in the opener, when the Broncos missed two dozen tackles in a 31-10 loss that left them smarting.
“It was personal,” Bonitto said. “It wasn’t that we lost, it was how we lost.’’
Chiefs: DL Peter Woods (neck) got hurt in the first quarter.
Broncos: CB Kris Abrams-Draine (ankle) left in the second quarter and S Brandon Jones (hamstring) was ruled out at halftime.
Chiefs: Host the New York Jets next Sunday.
Broncos: Visit the Carolina Panthers next Sunday, where they'll hope to improve on their third-down conversion rate. Over their last four games, all wins, the Broncos are just 10 for 48 on third down.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II breaks up a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs' Xavier Worthy during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos' Courtland Sutton catches a pass in front of Kansas City Chiefs' Chamarri Conner during the first half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos' Alex Singleton sacks Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Kansas City Chiefs' Noah Gray celebrates his touchdown catch with Patrick Mahomes during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos' Alex Singleton sacks Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes during the second half of an NFL football game in Denver, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence had some simple advice for Joe Burrow as the franchise quarterback prepared to take the field with Cincinnati trailing the Tennessee Titans by a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
“I looked at him and told him he was legendary and go be legendary,” Lawrence said.
Burrow did just that. He connected with Tee Higgins for an 18-yard touchdown with 1:17 remaining in regulation to tie it at 36-all and then scrambled untouched for a 9-yard score in overtime as the Bengals rallied for a 43-36 victory on Sunday.
“It was certainly a stressful day. Lots of emotions on the sidelines,” said Burrow, who completed 33 of 48 passes for 462 yards, his second 400-yard game this season and ninth of his career. “We finished the game with three touchdown drives and were able to put it away.”
There were other things that pointed to this being a significant victory for Burrow and the Bengals, who are 5-2 for the first time since 2021.
Burrow threw five touchdown passes in regulation and then led the 10th game-winning drive of his seven-year career and fourth in overtime.
He also put up a stat line not seen since 1951. Burrow joins Hall of Famer Norm Van Brocklin as the only quarterbacks to throw for at least 450 yards with five touchdowns, rush for a score and throw multiple interceptions.
Van Brocklin did it when he set the NFL single-game record with 554 passing yards on Sept. 28, 1951, when the Los Angeles Rams beat the New York Yanks.
“I felt like we moved it pretty well all game. We had four turnovers. It’s hard to win that way. Today we did, but you can’t make a living like that,” Burrow said.
Burrow was picked off three times by Titans safety Amari Hooker, who tied a franchise record shared by nine other players.
It was the second straight week the Bengals rallied from a 13-point, first-half deficit. Tennessee, which entered as a 13 1/2-point underdog, scored on its first three drives and took a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. Last week, Baltimore had a 13-0 advantage at halftime.
It was the first time since New Orleans in 2020 that a team has rallied from 13-point first-half deficits in consecutive games, according to Sportradar. It was the third time in Bengals history, most recently in 2001.
“You guys have watched us play the last two years, and some of those games have gone the other direction. So for our guys to step up and seal the game, I'm not going to dismiss that,” coach Zac Taylor said.
Ja’Marr Chase and Higgins each had 100-yard receiving games for the fourth time since 2021. Higgins had 10 receptions for 155 yards and two TDs and Chase added 11 catches for 141 yards and a score.
Higgins had three catches for 56 yards on the final two drives and Chase added three receptions for 48 yards.
The Titans (1-7) gave Cincinnati all it could handle while playing without injured wide receiver Carnell Tate and standout pass rusher Jeffery Simmons, who was traded to the Chicago Bears on Thursday.
Cam Ward had the first 300-yard passing game of his two-year career, completing 26 of 40 passes for 340 yards and two touchdowns. He put the Titans back on top with a 15-yard TD pass to Wan’Dale Robinson with 3:42 remaining. Gunnar Helm then caught Ward’s pass for the 2-point conversion to give Tennessee a 36-29 advantage.
Tennessee took over after Burrow's OT score but could not get a first down. Ward threw an incomplete pass to Elic Ayomanor on fourth-and-3 at the Tennessee 35.
“The only way to keep up with those guys was to get takeaways four times and score 36 points. There were times that we were good and others where we could have been better, but overall they fought their (butts) off,” Titans coach Robert Saleh said.
Tony Pollard rushed for 117 yards and two TDs, giving him five scores in the last two games. His 40-yard run up the right sideline, on which he broke four tackles en route to the end zone, extended Tennessee's lead to 10-0 midway through the first quarter.
The Titans, though, fell short again after getting off to a fast start. They were up 14-0 last Sunday against Cleveland before losing on a last-second field goal. According to Sportradar, it was the fourth time in NFL history a team has lost consecutive games after holding a first-quarter lead of at least 13 points.
Besides providing emotional support, Lawrence had seven tackles and made a couple of significant plays.
Lawrence had a sack that knocked the Titans out of field-goal range late in regulation and a fumble recovery where he nearly scored in the third quarter. He also teamed up with Demetrius Knight Jr. when they tackled Pollard in the end zone for a safety to give the Bengals a 23-21 lead with 46 seconds left in the third quarter.
Hooker became the first NFL player with three interceptions in a game since Jordan Whitehead of the New York Jets against Buffalo in Week 1 of the 2023 season. The last Titans player to do it was Kevin Byard III against Cleveland in 2017.
“Obviously we gave up yards and points, but you know, you can tell (Burrow) was a little frustrated. They were frustrated,” Hooker said.
Titans; CB Marcus Harris (ankle) and LB James Williams Sr. (groin) went out in the second quarter. CB Kevin Winston Jr. (shoulder) departed in the third quarter. Tate (shoulder), RB Tyjae Spears (knee) and P Tommy Townsend (knee) were inactive.
Bengals: Linebackers Cedric Johnson (left ankle) and Cashius Howell (right wrist) along with CB DJ Turner (left ankle) suffered injuries in the second half.
Titans: Have their bye week before hosting Jacksonville on Nov. 15.
Bengals: Play the Atlanta Falcons in Madrid next Sunday.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Jack Endries (84) celebrates a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) dives in for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Tennessee Titans safety Amani Hooker (37) intercepts a pass intended for Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) runs for a two-point conversion against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard (20) runs between Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Kris Jenkins Jr. (90) and linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. (44) during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws against the Tennessee Titans during the first half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) runs for a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during overtime of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)
