3 ways Broncos pass rush is winning without huge sack totals

2) QB Hits

The Broncos got to the quarterback on Sunday. A lot. The Broncos racked up three sacks and 11 quarterback hits on Sunday, making Mahomes' life much harrier than he had initially planned. The mayhem in the backfield was led by second-year edge rusher Nik Bonitto, who deflected one pass and hit Mahomes four times.

After Bonitto, Browning hit Mahomes three times, Cooper twice, and a handful of other Broncos all had one QB hit. The Broncos especially made their presence in the backfield known in the back end of the fourth quarter, when Allen and Cooper combined on one sack, followed by Baron Browning sealing his second sack of the day.

The Broncos were able to hit Mahomes on multiple throws, leading to errant passes and eventually an interception from Simmons. Considering that Mahomes was under the weather and the weather itself was suboptimal, any hit on the QB would tally up. The Broncos hit Mahomes for three sacks and 11 QB hits, constantly putting the veteran on the ground. QB hits usually tally up quickly, but considering the weather and the nature of Mahomes' illness, the hits not only tallied up but were more meaningful.

Mahomes wound up turning in his worst performance of the year, and one of the worst of his career: no touchdowns, two interceptions, three sacks, a 42.6 QBR, and a 59.2 QB rating. Mahomes' poor play, mixed with his illness and the weather conditions, helped pave the way for the Broncos to defeat the Chiefs for the first time in eight years.