Game story
In Week 17 of the 2011 NFL season on 2012-01-01, the Kansas City Chiefs took care of business against the Denver Broncos, pulling away with a 7–3 final that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
The highest-scoring period was Q1 with 7 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
K. Orton (Kansas City Chiefs) paced the passing game, with +1.57 total EPA, and -11.4% completion percentage over expected.
On the individual side, D. Bowe (Kansas City Chiefs) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +5.65 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (+15.2% win probability) landed in the third quarter when Denver Broncos changed the game: (9:50) 4-B.Colquitt punts 37 yards to KC 17, Center-66-L.Paxton. 21-J.Arenas MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DEN-12-M.Willis at KC 20. 12-M.Willis to KC 20 for no gain (21-J.Arenas).
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q3 | — | — | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Denver Broncos | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 D. Bowe · Kansas City Chiefs · Receiving · +5.65 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.94 EPA/play
- 2 D. McCluster · Kansas City Chiefs · Rushing · +3.85 total EPA · 12 snaps · +0.32 EPA/play
- 3 T. Copper · Kansas City Chiefs · Receiving · +2.12 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.06 EPA/play
- 4 W. McGahee · Denver Broncos · Rushing · +1.97 total EPA · 28 snaps · +0.07 EPA/play
- 5 D. Fells · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +1.69 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.69 EPA/play
- 6 K. Orton · Kansas City Chiefs · Passing · +1.57 total EPA · 30 snaps · +0.05 EPA/play
- 7 E. Royal · Denver Broncos · Rushing · +1.39 total EPA · 2 snaps · +0.70 EPA/play
- 8 L. Pope · Kansas City Chiefs · Receiving · +1.01 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.01 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
D. Bowe — KC · Receiving
D. Bowe posted the highest total EPA (+5.65) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Kansas City Chiefs's efficiency. Across 6 counted snaps, they averaged +0.94 EPA per play.
The signature play (+4.93 EPA) came from Denver Broncos: (9:50) 4-B.Colquitt punts 37 yards to KC 17, Center-66-L.Paxton. 21-J.Arenas MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DEN-12-M.Willis at KC 20. 12-M.Willis to KC 20 for no gain (21-J.Arenas).
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Kansas City Chiefs — D. McCluster
Field goals
- Denver Broncos — M. Prater
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Kansas City Chiefs won the period 7–0. Kansas City Chiefs found the end zone from the DEN 21 (Q1 45:20) — (:20) 22-D.McCluster right end for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Kansas City Chiefs added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q1 45:11) — 6-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-43-T.Gafford, Holder-2-D.Colquitt..
The third quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 3–0. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the KC 20 (Q3 23:15) — (8:15) 5-M.Prater 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-4-B.Colquitt..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Denver Broncos (Q3 24:50) — (9:50) 4-B.Colquitt punts 37 yards to KC 17, Center-66-L.Paxton. 21-J.Arenas MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DEN-12-M.Willis at KC 20. 12-M.Willis to KC 20 for no gain (21-J.Arenas).
- Denver Broncos (Q4 11:05) — (11:05) (Shotgun) 15-T.Tebow sacked at KC 45 for -9 yards (sack split by 92-W.Gilberry and 50-J.Houston).
- Denver Broncos (Q4 0:45) — (:45) (Shotgun) 15-T.Tebow pass short right to 88-D.Thomas to DEN 25 for 9 yards (24-B.Flowers) [92-W.Gilberry]. PENALTY on KC-92-W.Gilberry, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced at DEN 25.
- Kansas City Chiefs (Q4 5:53) — (5:53) (Shotgun) 8-K.Orton pass short left to 89-J.Baldwin ran ob at KC 27 for 15 yards.
- Kansas City Chiefs (Q1 52:35) — (7:35) 6-R.Succop 44 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-43-T.Gafford, Holder-2-D.Colquitt.
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Denver Broncos (Q3 24:50) — (9:50) 4-B.Colquitt punts 37 yards to KC 17, Center-66-L.Paxton. 21-J.Arenas MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DEN-12-M.Willis at KC 20. 12-M.Willis to KC 20 for no gain (21-J.Arenas).
- Denver Broncos (Q2 38:47) — (8:47) (Shotgun) 15-T.Tebow left end to KC 13 for 2 yards (23-K.Lewis). FUMBLES (23-K.Lewis), RECOVERED by KC-50-J.Houston at KC 14. 50-J.Houston to KC 14 for no gain (86-D.Fells).
- Kansas City Chiefs (Q1 52:35) — (7:35) 6-R.Succop 44 yard field goal is No Good, Wide Left, Center-43-T.Gafford, Holder-2-D.Colquitt.
- Kansas City Chiefs (Q1 45:20) — (:20) 22-D.McCluster right end for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Quarterback report card
K.Orton led all passers in efficiency for Kansas City Chiefs, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- K.Orton (Kansas City Chiefs) · 30 dropbacks · 50.0% completion · -11.4% CPOE · +0.05 EPA/play · +1.57 total EPA
- T.Tebow (Denver Broncos) · 25 dropbacks · 24.0% completion · -24.7% CPOE · -0.34 EPA/play · -8.42 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Kansas City Chiefs | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.039 | -0.092 |
| Offensive success rate | 38.7% | 36.3% |
| Pass EPA/play | +0.052 | -0.337 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.014 | -0.089 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.092 | +0.039 |
| Defensive success rate | 63.7% | 61.3% |
By the numbers
Despite the final score, Kansas City Chiefs generated the better offensive EPA per play (-0.04 vs -0.09), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.
- Denver Broncos: 12 drives, -8.33 total EPA, 1 scoring drives
- Kansas City Chiefs: 12 drives, -2.89 total EPA, 1 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.
- D. Bowe (Kansas City Chiefs) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
- K. Orton (KC) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.
- T. Tebow (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.
- Kansas City Chiefs TD (+6) — Q1 45:20 · DEN 21 · Score 6-0
(:20) 22-D.McCluster right end for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Kansas City Chiefs XP (+1) — Q1 45:11 · DEN 2 · Score 7-0
6-R.Succop extra point is GOOD, Center-43-T.Gafford, Holder-2-D.Colquitt. - Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q3 23:15 · KC 20 · Score 7-3
(8:15) 5-M.Prater 38 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-66-L.Paxton, Holder-4-B.Colquitt.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos?
The Kansas City Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos 7-3 in Week 17, 2011 on 2012-01-01.
What was the final score of Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos?
The final score was Kansas City Chiefs 7, Denver Broncos 3 (KC 7-3 DEN) in Week 17, 2011 on 2012-01-01.
What was the score by quarter in Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos?
Q1: Kansas City Chiefs 7, Denver Broncos 0; Q3: Kansas City Chiefs 0, Denver Broncos 3; Final: Kansas City Chiefs 7, Denver Broncos 3.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos?
Kansas City Chiefs touchdown — D. McCluster (Q1 45:20) Denver Broncos field goal — M. Prater (Q3 23:15, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos?
K. Orton (Kansas City Chiefs), 50.0% completion, -11.4% CPOE, +0.05 EPA per dropback, +1.57 total passing EPA. T. Tebow (Denver Broncos), 24.0% completion, -24.7% CPOE, -0.34 EPA per dropback, -8.42 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos?
D. Bowe (Kansas City Chiefs) led the game in total EPA with +5.65 on receiving plays. across 6 snaps. The top single-play swing was (+4.93 EPA): (9:50) 4-B.Colquitt punts 37 yards to KC 17, Center-66-L.Paxton. 21-J.Arenas MUFFS catch, RECOVERED by DEN-12-M.Willis at KC 20. 12-M.Willis to KC 20 for no gain (21-J.Arenas).. The biggest win-probability swing was +15.2%.
Was Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos a close game?
Yes — the margin was 4 points. Kansas City Chiefs won 7-3 in a game that stayed a one-score game deep into the second half.
Season records after this game
Kansas City Chiefs
Entered 6-9 Now 7-9 W
Denver Broncos
Entered 8-7 Now 8-8 L
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