Broncos at Chiefs - Week 8 - Record: 7-1

This was something like the sixth straight win we've had over the Broncos -- is that right? I think I'd heard that. Something like that. I remember back in 2013 when we had that splendidly blistering start to the season... and then we faced Peyton Manning and the Broncos.

Well, the Broncos really don't have a quarterback like that these days, and I think that helped us. We got by with a 30-23 win and it should've been a bigger win. I don't know why we can't do more in the 4th quarter but after Kareem Hunt's hurdling power catch-and-run extravaganza (second game in a row!) went for touchdown we did zilch on offense.

It was funny, we saw Dustin Colquitt jog out there in the 4th quarter for only the second time in the game and we all thought what the announcers were saying -- Colquitt has hardly punted this year! I mean, Colquitt is a terrific punter, but really -- how great is that!

Mahomes in between the three-and-out to start the game and that lame 4th quarter was that guy we'd all been swooning over for the entire first half of this season. He did throw a bad interception late in the game but please, don't fret too much about the picks. This one, like many, was reasonably deep in Denver territory so it'd be no worse than a punt had it gotten to 4th down. And after this one we got the ball back on a fumble recovery a bit later.

Game-by-game Mahomes is raising his quarterbacking IQ little-by-little, step-by-step. Let it happen, it's fun to watch.

Meanwhile, what a game by Sammy Watkins. He really showed his stuff in this one, and even when he isn't the featured guy, the opponent's defense knows his such a formidable weapon that he's opening things up for everyone else. Today he had eight catches, every one of them a fine one, including two that went for touchdowns each of them requiring him to catch and make jet runs to the end zone.

We also benefited from a lot of penalties -- on the Broncos. That was a switch.

I'm still very concerned about our run defense. The Broncos two backs together easily got 100+ on the day. Yeah that urge to rip into Bob Sutton starts to well up inside, I got you, but Sutton still had the D make key plays -- Dee Ford was all over their quarterback, Chris Jones had a nice sack, Dorian O'Daniel was firing out stuffing their swing plays, Kendall Fuller had a pick where he came out of nowhere to swipe it away from Demaryius Thomas.

It was encouraging to see that the injury report listed Eric Berry and Justin Houston as "doubtful" instead of completely out. Really, let's be real -- as much as we want them back in, give them time, get them healed and ready to play. Oh, I didn't check, but Anthony Hitchens went out with an injury, we'll see if it's serious.

Halfway through this season's campaign and we're a comfy 7-1, our offense still doing the job, our defense making just enough plays to get the dubya.
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