DENVER (AP) – Peyton Manning threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Julius Thomas, and Matt Prater kicked a 54-yard field goal to give the Denver Broncos a 10-0 lead over the Kansas City Chiefs after the first quarter 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.
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 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.
Manning was 5 of 9 for 100 yards in the first quarter.
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 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.
Kansas City couldn’t get much going on offense in the opening 15 minutes, gaining 48 yards and picking up four first downs.
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.
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.
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