Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs: 2020 Week 13 Recap

Game story

In Week 13 of the 2020 NFL season on 2020-12-06, the Kansas City Chiefs took care of business against the Denver Broncos, pulling away with a 22–16 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.

The highest-scoring period was Q3 with 16 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

P. Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) paced the passing game, with +7.22 total EPA, and -0.7% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, T. Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +8.07 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (+15.6% win probability) landed in the second quarter when Denver Broncos changed the game: (9:12) (Shotgun) 25-M.Gordon up the middle pushed ob at KC 18 for 65 yards (22-J.Thornhill).

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.

1. 1 T. Kelce · Kansas City Chiefs · Receiving · +8.07 total EPA · 12 snaps · +0.67 EPA/play
2. 2 P. Mahomes · Kansas City Chiefs · Passing · +7.22 total EPA · 45 snaps · +0.16 EPA/play
3. 3 M. Gordon · Denver Broncos · Rushing · +5.79 total EPA · 16 snaps · +0.36 EPA/play
4. 4 T. Patrick · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +5.25 total EPA · 5 snaps · +1.05 EPA/play
5. 5 D. Lock · Denver Broncos · Passing · +4.40 total EPA · 33 snaps · +0.13 EPA/play
6. 6 N. Fant · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +3.83 total EPA · 7 snaps · +0.55 EPA/play
7. 7 D. Robinson · Kansas City Chiefs · Receiving · +3.43 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.71 EPA/play
8. 8 S. Watkins · Kansas City Chiefs · Receiving · +1.98 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.33 EPA/play

Player of the game

FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

• Denver Broncos — T. Patrick (D. Lock pass) (Q2 36:31)
• Denver Broncos — T. Patrick (D. Lock pass) (Q3 18:54)
• Kansas City Chiefs — T. Kelce (P. Mahomes pass) (Q3 16:13)

Field goals

• Denver Broncos — B. McManus (Q1 49:04)
• Kansas City Chiefs — H. Butker (Q1 45:24)
• Kansas City Chiefs — H. Butker (Q2 32:45)
• Kansas City Chiefs — H. Butker (Q2 30:03)
• Kansas City Chiefs — H. Butker (Q3 25:36)
• Kansas City Chiefs — H. Butker (Q4 1:09)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.

The opening quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the KC 35 (Q1 49:04) — (4:04) 8-B.McManus 53 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Bobenmoyer, Holder-6-S.Martin.; Kansas City Chiefs connected on a field goal from the DEN 17 (Q1 45:24) — (:24) 7-H.Butker 35 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend..

The second quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 7–6. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the KC 5 (Q2 36:31) — (6:31) (Shotgun) 3-D.Lock pass short left to 81-T.Patrick for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the KC 15 (Q2 36:26) — 8-B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Bobenmoyer, Holder-6-S.Martin.; Kansas City Chiefs connected on a field goal from the DEN 6 (Q2 32:45) — (2:45) 7-H.Butker 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend.; Kansas City Chiefs connected on a field goal from the DEN 5 (Q2 30:03) — (:03) 7-H.Butker 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend..

The third quarter: Kansas City Chiefs won the period 10–6. Kansas City Chiefs connected on a field goal from the DEN 13 (Q3 25:36) — (10:36) 7-H.Butker 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend.; Denver Broncos found the end zone from the KC 10 (Q3 18:54) — (3:54) 3-D.Lock pass short left to 81-T.Patrick for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Kansas City Chiefs found the end zone from the DEN 20 (Q3 16:13); Kansas City Chiefs added 1 points from the DEN 15 (Q3 16:06) — 7-H.Butker extra point is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend..

The fourth quarter: Kansas City Chiefs won the period 3–0. Kansas City Chiefs connected on a field goal from the DEN 30 (Q4 1:09) — (1:09) 7-H.Butker 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend..

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.

• Denver Broncos (Q2 39:12) — (9:12) (Shotgun) 25-M.Gordon up the middle pushed ob at KC 18 for 65 yards (22-J.Thornhill). [WPA +15.6% · EPA +4.91]
• Denver Broncos (Q1 58:44) — (13:44) (Shotgun) 3-D.Lock pass deep left to 87-N.Fant pushed ob at KC 35 for 37 yards (22-J.Thornhill). [WPA +13.4% · EPA +3.91]
• Denver Broncos (Q1 57:36) — (12:36) (Shotgun) 3-D.Lock pass deep left intended for 84-T.Fumagalli INTERCEPTED by 32-T.Mathieu at KC 10. 32-T.Mathieu to KC 10 for no gain (84-T.Fumagalli). [WPA -11.3% · EPA -3.30]
• Kansas City Chiefs (Q3 16:13) — (1:13) (Shotgun) 15-P.Mahomes pass deep left to 87-T.Kelce for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DEN-57-D.Walker, Defensive Offside, declined. [WPA +11.1% · EPA +2.63]
• Kansas City Chiefs (Q4 1:09) — (1:09) 7-H.Butker 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend. [WPA -9.3% · EPA +1.10]

Impact plays

Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.

• Denver Broncos (Q2 39:12) — (9:12) (Shotgun) 25-M.Gordon up the middle pushed ob at KC 18 for 65 yards (22-J.Thornhill). [WPA +15.6% · EPA +4.91]
• Denver Broncos (Q1 58:44) — (13:44) (Shotgun) 3-D.Lock pass deep left to 87-N.Fant pushed ob at KC 35 for 37 yards (22-J.Thornhill). [WPA +13.4% · EPA +3.91]
• Denver Broncos (Q1 57:36) — (12:36) (Shotgun) 3-D.Lock pass deep left intended for 84-T.Fumagalli INTERCEPTED by 32-T.Mathieu at KC 10. 32-T.Mathieu to KC 10 for no gain (84-T.Fumagalli). [WPA -11.3% · EPA -3.30]
• Kansas City Chiefs (Q2 33:28) — (3:28) (Shotgun) 15-P.Mahomes pass short middle to 10-T.Hill pushed ob at DEN 6 for -5 yards (31-J.Simmons). [WPA -7.2% · EPA -2.81]

Quarterback report card

P.Mahomes led all passers in efficiency for Kansas City Chiefs, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• P.Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs) · 45 dropbacks · 55.6% completion · -0.7% CPOE · +0.16 EPA/play · +7.22 total EPA
• D.Lock (Denver Broncos) · 33 dropbacks · 45.5% completion · -7.4% CPOE · +0.13 EPA/play · +4.40 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.

By the numbers

Kansas City Chiefs held the efficiency edge in offensive EPA per play (+0.14 vs +0.08), even if the scoreboard told a different story.

• Denver Broncos: 9 drives, +6.61 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
• Kansas City Chiefs: 10 drives, +11.26 total EPA, 6 scoring drives

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.

• Kansas City Chiefs leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
• One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
• T. Kelce (Kansas City Chiefs) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
• D. Lock (DEN) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.

Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.

1. Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q1 49:04 · KC 35 · Score 3-0
   (4:04) 8-B.McManus 53 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-46-J.Bobenmoyer, Holder-6-S.Martin.
2. Kansas City Chiefs FG (+3) — Q1 45:24 · DEN 17 · Score 3-3
   (:24) 7-H.Butker 35 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend.
3. Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q2 36:31 · KC 5 · Score 9-3
   (6:31) (Shotgun) 3-D.Lock pass short left to 81-T.Patrick for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
4. Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q2 36:26 · KC 15 · Score 10-3
   8-B.McManus extra point is GOOD, Center-46-J.Bobenmoyer, Holder-6-S.Martin.
5. Kansas City Chiefs FG (+3) — Q2 32:45 · DEN 6 · Score 10-6
   (2:45) 7-H.Butker 24 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend.
6. Kansas City Chiefs FG (+3) — Q2 30:03 · DEN 5 · Score 10-9
   (:03) 7-H.Butker 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend.
7. Kansas City Chiefs FG (+3) — Q3 25:36 · DEN 13 · Score 10-12
   (10:36) 7-H.Butker 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend.
8. Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q3 18:54 · KC 10 · Score 16-12
   (3:54) 3-D.Lock pass short left to 81-T.Patrick for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
9. Kansas City Chiefs TD (+6) — Q3 16:13 · DEN 20 · Score 16-18
   (1:13) (Shotgun) 15-P.Mahomes pass deep left to 87-T.Kelce for 20 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on DEN-57-D.Walker, Defensive Offside, declined.
10. Kansas City Chiefs XP (+1) — Q3 16:06 · DEN 15 · Score 16-19
    7-H.Butker extra point is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend.
11. Kansas City Chiefs FG (+3) — Q4 1:09 · DEN 30 · Score 16-22
    (1:09) 7-H.Butker 48 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-41-J.Winchester, Holder-5-T.Townsend.