National Football League

Broncos lead Chiefs 24-10 after 3 quarters

Published Nov. 18, 2013 4:13 a.m. ET

foxsports

Rookie Montee Ball scored his second touchdown of the game and the Denver Broncos had a 24-10 lead over the Kansas City Chiefs after three quarters Sunday night.

The Chiefs (9-0) and the Broncos (8-1) have a .944 winning percentage - the best combined record of two opponents this deep into the season since the NFL merger in 1970.

It's the most points Kansas City's vaunted defense has allowed in a game this season.

For most of the third quarter, defense took center stage as Denver and Kansas City combined for more punts (5) at one point than first downs (3). The Chiefs were disrupting Peyton Manning's timing, too, holding him in check. Just before the end of the quarter, though, Manning led the Broncos on a six-play, 65-yard drive that culminated with Ball's 8-yard scamper around the end of the line. Ball also had a 1-yard TD run in the second quarter.

Alex Smith threw a 6-yard TD pass to Dwayne Bowe early in the second quarter and later drove Kansas City to the 1, only to have Jamaal Charles stopped by linebacker Steven Johnson to set up a 20-yard field goal from Ryan Succop.

Denver marched down the field late in the first half, but Matt Prater's 52-yard field goal sailed wide left. It was Prater's first miss of the season.

The Chiefs had excellent field position with 32 seconds left and moved in range for a possible long field goal, before Smith was sacked by Shaun Phillips.

The Broncos were later called for a holding penalty with no time remaining, giving Kansas City one last play before the half. The Chiefs sent Succop out for a possible NFL-record 64-yard attempt, before changing their mind and bringing back the offense. Smith ran for 25 yards to end the half.

The opportunistic Kansas City defense recovered a fumble midway through the first quarter, with Derrick Johnson scooping it up and rumbling toward the end zone only to be tackled by Manning deep in Denver territory.

But on the next play, Anthony Sherman fumbled the ball right back as Quentin Jammer pounced on it. Denver quickly capitalized, as Demaryius Thomas hauled in a 70-yard pass from Manning to set up tight end Julius Thomas' short TD catch. It was Thomas' team-leading 10th score this season.

Manning had his tender ankles heavily taped. He also wore gloves on both hands with the temperature in the low 40s.

The weather didn't seem to bother Manning as he guided the Broncos into field-goal range after the Chiefs punted on their opening drive. Matt Prater connected on a 54-yarder.

Manning was 18 of 31 for 257 yards after three quarters. Demaryius Thomas had four catches for 116 yards.

A big question mark coming into the game was the condition of Manning's ankle after he took a low hit late in a win at San Diego last week. An MRI showed no new damage to Manning's right ankle and interim head coach Jack Del Rio has been saying all week that Manning would be fine. Del Rio is filling in for John Fox, who's resting following heart surgery.

The Chiefs tried to get receiver Dwayne Bowe involved early, throwing a pass his direction on the second play from scrimmage. Bowe was arrested last weekend during the team's bye and charged with speeding and possession of marijuana. Coach Andy Reid didn't really say much on the matter other than the standout receiver would play and start.

Bowe came up big in the second quarter, catching a pass in the end zone between two Denver defensive backs. He has four catches for 57 yards.

The game brought some celebrities as golfer Tiger Woods stood on the sideline with girlfriend and four-time overall World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn. Several Broncos players approached Woods to chat, including punter Britton Colquitt and Champ Bailey, who's out for the game with a left foot injury.

Woods also spent some time before the game with Broncos boss John Elway, a fellow Stanford alum.