KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs blocked Broncos kicker Wil Lutz’s 35-yard field goal attempt as time expired on Sunday, and Kansas City escaped with a 16-14 victory over the Broncos to extend its winning streak to 15 games dating to last season.
The Chiefs had taken the lead on Harrison Butker’s field goal with 5:57 remaining, but Bo Nix and the Broncos converted on a trio of third downs while marching right back down field. They proceeded to set up Lutz for the winner, but Leo Chenal was given credit for coming up the middle amid a big push by the Kansas City defensive line to get his hand on the kick.
Patrick Mahomes finished with 266 yards passing and a touchdown for Kansas City, which became only the fifth team to follow up a Super Bowl triumph by winning its first nine games. That also matches the best start to a season in franchise history.
The Chiefs’ winning streak dating to last season is the longest in the NFL since the Packers won 19 in a row from 2010-11.
Travis Kelce had eight catches for 64 yards and a touchdown for Kansas City. DeAndre Hopkins caught four passes for 56 yards, and Kareem Hunt was held to 35 yards rushing but also caught seven passes for 65 yards.
Nix finished with 215 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Broncos (5-5). Courtland Sutton had six catches for 60 yards and a score, and his 13-yard reception on third-and-6 with 1:45 left gave Denver a chance to kick as time expired.
PANTHERS 20, GIANTS 17
MUNICH — Eddy Pineiro kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime and the Carolina Panthers made it back-to-back wins for the first time this season, beating the New York Giants 20-17 in Germany on Sunday.
The Giants (2-8) won the coin toss to start overtime, but rookie running back Tyrone Tracy fumbled on the first play from scrimmage and Josey Jewell recovered at the 23 for the Panthers (3-7).
The Giants rallied from a 17-7 deficit in the fourth quarter and forced overtime on Graham Gano’s 42-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining.
Gano, who earlier missed from 43 yards, was playing for the first time since September after a hamstring injury.
Chuba Hubbard, who received a four-year contract extension worth a reported $33.2 million earlier in the week, had 28 carries for 153 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers.
Bryce Young was 15 for 25 for 126 yards and a touchdown pass to Ja’Tavion Sanders in the first quarter. Young, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2023, has now won consecutive games for the first time in his brief NFL career. And the Panthers have won consecutive games for the first time since late in the 2022 season.
VIKINGS 12, JAGUARS 7
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Minnesota’s stingy defense held Jacksonville to 143 yards — the fewest in coach Doug Pederson’s three seasons — and the Vikings overcame Sam Darnold’s three interceptions to beat the Jaguars 12-7 on Sunday.
It was Darnold’s first three-interception game in three years. All of them came while targeting All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson, who finished with five catches for 48 yards.
The Vikings (7-2) trailed most of the day, but took the lead on the third of John Parker Romo’s four field goals. Romo hit from 29, 34, 33 and 45 yards in his NFL debut.
The Jaguars (2-8) had a chance late thanks to Travon Walker’s sack on a third-and-1 play. Coach Kevin O’Connell had Darnold passing with roughly three minutes to go, a head-scratcher given Jacksonville had been so lethargic on offense.
Mac Jones made his first start in nearly a year, filling in for Trevor Lawrence (non-throwing shoulder), and was mostly ineffective. But he had Jacksonville on the move down the stretch and got help from a face-mask penalty against linebacker Blake Cashman.
But Jones threw his second pick with 1:49 remaining to essentially end it. Jones had two more turnovers earlier in the fourth — an interception and a fumbled snap.
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BILLS 30, COLTS 20
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Taron Johnson returned Joe Flacco’s first pass 23 yards for a touchdown Sunday, and Josh Allen and James Cook each scored on TD runs to lead the AFC East-leading Buffalo Bills past the Indianapolis Colts 30-20.
The Bills (8-2) extended their winning streak to five with their first victory at Indianapolis since 1998. Allen was 22 of 37 for 280 yards with two interceptions while running eight times for 50 yards. Cook had 19 carries for 80 yards.
Flacco had four turnovers — three interceptions and a fumble — in his second start since replacing the benched Anthony Richardson. He was 26 of 35 for 272 yards and two TDs as the Colts (4-6) lost their third straight.
Jonathan Taylor rushed 21 times for 114 yards and rookie receiver Adonai Mitchell had his biggest game of the season with six catches for 71 yards.
