NFL team season
The 2015 season was the Kansas City Chiefs ' 46th in the National Football League (NFL), their 56th overall and their third under the head coach /general manager tandem of Andy Reid and John Dorsey . The Chiefs went through a poor start in their first six games as they were 1–5, and lost their star running back, Jamaal Charles , to a torn ACL in his right knee during an 18–17 Week 5 loss at home against the Chicago Bears . In week 16, after their ninth consecutive victory and the Baltimore Ravens defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers , the Chiefs clinched a playoff berth, their second in three years.[ 1] They are the first team since the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals to start the season 1–5 and qualify for the playoffs.[ 2] They also set the franchise record for the most consecutive victories, winning 10 in a row (which has since been eclipsed by the 2019 –2020 Chiefs). In their Wild Card matchup, the Chiefs were set up to play against the Houston Texans . The Chiefs shutout the Texans 30–0 to earn their first playoff win in 22 years, ending what was at the time, until the Bengals broke the record the night the Chiefs won, an NFL record for consecutive playoff losses. The shutout was the Chiefs first ever playoff shutout and remains, as of the 2022–23 playoffs , the most recent playoff shutout in the NFL. The following week, they were defeated by the New England Patriots in the divisional round 27–20.
Two Chiefs took home awards at the 5th Annual NFL Honors honoring performances from the 2015 season. Cornerback Marcus Peters won Defensive Rookie of the Year after leading the NFL in interceptions. Safety Eric Berry won Comeback Player of the Year after a being named All-Pro the year after having his season cut short due to a lymphoma diagnosis.
As of 2023, the 2015 season is the most recent season that the Chiefs did not win the AFC West.
Roster changes
Offseason
Reserve/future free agent contracts
Cuts
Trades
Free agents
2015 draft class
Notes
The Chiefs traded their fifth-round selection (No. 154 overall) to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for guard Ben Grubbs .
The Chiefs traded their 3rd round pick (80th overall) and their 6th round pick (193rd overall) to the Minnesota Vikings for their 3rd round pick (76th overall)
Preseason transactions
Cuts
Cuts to 75
Position
Player
WR
Kenny Cook
T
Anthony Dima
LS
Andrew East
CB
Aaron Hester
DE
Vaughn Martin
CB
Kenneth Penny
G
Marcus Reed
TE
Adam Schiltz
WR
Jeret Smith
DL
Charles Tuaau
WR
L’Damian Washington
WR
Junior Hemingway
OL
Tevon Rooks
Cuts to 53
Position
Player
WR
Da'Ron Brown
DE
Mike Catapano
S
Sanders Commings
LB
Ja'Gared Davis
DT
Hebron Fangupo
C
Garrett Frye
DL
David Irving
LB
James-Michael Johnson
C
Eric Kush
WR
Tello Luckett
C
Daniel Munyer
DB
Deji Olatoye
G
Jarrod Pughsley
RB
Darrin Reaves
DB
Kevin Short
OT
Derek Sherrod
TE
Ryan Taylor
FB
Spencer Ware
WR
Fredd Williams
TE
Richard Gordon
Regular season transactions
Suspensions served
Position
Player
Length
Reason
Weeks served
CB
Sean Smith
4 games
Violation of personal conduct policy
1–4
Cuts
Signings
Position
Player
Previous team
TE
Brian Parker
San Diego Chargers
RB
Spencer Ware
Kansas City Chiefs*
DL
David King
Seattle Seahawks
T
Jah Reid
Baltimore Ravens
T
Jarrod Pughsley
Kansas City Chiefs*
Players involved in multiple transactions
This list is for players who were involved in more than one transaction during the season
Position
Player
Final status
LB
Dezman Moses
Chiefs active roster
WR
Frankie Hammond
Chiefs active roster
WR
Saalim Hakim
Free agent
OL
Daniel Munyer
Chiefs active roster
*Indicates player was signed off the practice squad of the team listed
Staff
2015 Kansas City Chiefs staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
Final roster
Preseason
Schedule
Game summaries
Week 1: at Arizona Cardinals
Game information
First quarter
ARI – Andre Ellington 2-yard run (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 11:32. Cardinals 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:28.
ARI – Chandler Catanzaro 33-yard field goal, 8:23. Cardinals 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 0:54.
Second quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 48-yard field goal, 14:55. Cardinals 10–3. Drive: 6 plays, 36 yards, 3:19.
KC – Fred Williams 13-yard pass from Chase Daniel (Cairo Santos kick), 4:28. Tied 10–10. Drive: 12 plays, 79 yards, 6:26.
KC – Frankie Hammond 14-yard pass from Chase Daniel (Cairo Santos kick), 0:07. Chiefs 17–10. Drive: 7 plays, 78 yards, 1:08.
Third quarter
KC – Da'Ron Brown 3-yard pass from Chase Daniel (Cairo Santos kick), 10:30. Chiefs 24–10. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:30.
KC – Darrin Reaves 1-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 8:08. Chiefs 31–10. Drive: 3 plays, 4 yards, 1:26.
Fourth quarter
ARI – Tyler Bray sacked in end zone by Rodney Gunter for a Safety, 13:25. Chiefs 31–12.
KC – Cairo Santos 34-yard field goal, 6:42. Chiefs 34–12. Drive: 11 plays, 42 yards, 6:00.
ARI – Travis Harvey 1-yard pass from Phillip Sims (Chandler Catanzaro kick), 0:29. Chiefs 34–19. Drive: 7 plays, 89 yards, 1:15.
Top passers
KC – Chase Daniel – 17/21, 189 yards, 3 TD
ARI – Logan Thomas – 9/15, 107 yards, INT
Top rushers
Top receivers
KC – Fred Williams – 6 receptions, 82 yards, TD
ARI – Andre Ellington – 2 receptions, 59 yards
Week 2: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Jeremy Maclin 3-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 9:56. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 14 plays, 83 yards, 7:14.
SEA – Stephen Hauschka 39-yard field goal, 2:52. Chiefs 7–3. Drive: 14 plays, 59 yards, 7:04.
SEA – Bobby Wagner 25-yard interception return (Stephen Hauschka kick), 2:38. Seahawks 10–7.
Third quarter
KC – James O'Shaughnessy 1-yard pass from Chase Daniel (Cairo Santos kick), 11:53. Chiefs 14–10. Drive: 7 plays, 86 yards, 3:07.
SEA – Stephen Hauschka 27-yard field goal, 4:12. Chiefs 14–13. Drive: 13 plays, 61 yards, 7:41.
Fourth quarter
Top passers
SEA – R. J. Archer – 9/14, 83 yards
KC – Chase Daniel – 8/12, 82 yards, TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 3: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 3: Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Titans
0
10
0 0 10
Chiefs
9
8
3 14 34
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information
First quarter
KC – Jeremy Maclin 29-yard pass from Alex Smith (kick failed, wide left), 11:12. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:48.
KC – Cairo Santos 21-yard field goal, 1:16. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 11 plays, 54 yards, 6:07.
Second quarter
Third quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 22-yard field goal, 2:40. Chiefs 20–10. Drive: 14 plays, 87 yards, 8:52.
Fourth quarter
KC – Fred Williams 29-yard pass from Aaron Murray (Cairo Santos kick), 9:25. Chiefs 27–10. Drive: 10 plays, 98 yards, 5:07.
KC – Fred Williams 4-yard pass from Aaron Murray (Cairo Santos kick), 8:11. Chiefs 34–10. Drive: 3 plays, 8 yards, 0:55.
Top passers
TEN – Marcus Mariota – 7/11, 99 yards
KC – Alex Smith – 16/18, 171 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
Top receivers
TEN – Kendall Wright – 3 receptions, 60 yards
KC – Jeremy Maclin – 7 receptions, 65 yards, TD
Week 4: at St. Louis Rams
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Chris Conley 15-yard pass from Chase Daniel (Cairo Santos kick), 12:36. Tied 14–14. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:24.
KC – Cairo Santos 23-yard field goal, 4:02. Chiefs 17–14. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 3:56.
STL – Greg Zuerlein 57-yard field goal, 1:45. Tied 17–17. Drive: 4 plays, 10 yards, 0:28.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
KC – Chase Daniel – 16/20, 117 yards, TD, INT
STL – Sean Mannion – 11/24, 107 yards
Top rushers
KC – Spencer Ware – 10 rushes, 45 yards, TD
STL – Isaiah Pead – 12 rushes, 52 yards, TD
Top receivers
KC – Darrin Reaves – 8 receptions, 42 yards, TD
STL – Tavon Austin – 2 receptions, 49 yards
Regular season
Schedule
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Houston Texans
Week 1: Kansas City Chiefs at Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Chiefs
14
13
0 0 27
Texans
6
3
0 11 20
at NRG Stadium , Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
KC – Travis Kelce 10-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 10:22. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:42.
KC – Travis Kelce 42-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 4:28. Chiefs 14–0. Drive: 8 plays, 83 yards, 4:32.
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 4-yard pass from Brian Hoyer (kick failed, wide right), 0:46. Chiefs 14–6. Drive: 8 plays, 88 yards, 3:42.
Second quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 27-yard field goal, 10:26. Chiefs 17–6. Drive: 10 plays, 66 yards, 5:20.
KC – Cairo Santos 48-yard field goal, 6:20. Chiefs 20–6. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 2:32.
KC – Jamaal Charles 7-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 4:55. Chiefs 27–6. Drive: 1 play, 7 yards, 0:06.
HOU – Randy Bullock 34-yard field goal, 0:09. Chiefs 27–9. Drive: 11 plays, 64 yards, 2:17.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
HOU – DeAndre Hopkins 8-yard pass from Ryan Mallett (Ryan Mallett–DeAndre Hopkins pass), 4:07. Chiefs 27–17. Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 2:03.
HOU – Randy Bullock 47-yard field goal, 1:23. Chiefs 27–20. Drive: 10 plays, 48 yards, 1:24.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
With the win, the Chiefs started their 2015 campaign at 1–0.
Week 2: vs. Denver Broncos
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Jamaal Charles 34-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 9:11. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 3:23.
KC – Marcus Peters 55-yard interception return (Cairo Santos kick), 6:27. Chiefs 14–0.
DEN – Emmanuel Sanders 16-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Brandon McManus kick), 2:31. Chiefs 14–7. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 3:56.
DEN – Virgil Green 1-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Brandon McManus kick), 0:48. Tied 14–14. Drive: 4 plays, 15 yards, 1:33.
Third quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 35-yard field goal, 9:47. Chiefs 17–14. Drive: 10 plays, 63 yards, 5:13.
DEN – Brandon McManus 54-yard field goal, 3:18. Tied 17–17. Drive: 5 plays, 22 yards, 1:42.
Fourth quarter
KC – Knile Davis 8-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 2:27. Chiefs 24–17. Drive: 6 plays, 61 yards, 2:15.
DEN – Emmanuel Sanders 19-yard pass from Peyton Manning (Brandon McManus kick), 0:36. Tied 24–24. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 1:51.
DEN – Bradley Roby 21-yard fumble return (Brandon McManus kick), 0:27. Broncos 31–24.
Top passers
DEN – Peyton Manning – 26/45, 256 yards, 3 TD, INT
KC – Alex Smith – 16/25, 191 yards, 2 INT
Top rushers
DEN – Ronnie Hillman – 9 rushes, 34 yards
KC – Jamaal Charles – 21 rushes, 125 yards, TD
Top receivers
The Broncos would score two touchdowns in the final minute to steal the win from the Chiefs. The second touchdown was a critical fumble by running back Jamaal Charles .
With the heartbreaking and stunning loss, the Chiefs fell to 1–1, and picked up their seventh straight loss to Denver.
Week 3: at Green Bay Packers
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Jamaal Charles 9-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 12:02. Packers 14–7. Drive: 3 plays, 61 yards, 1:06.
GB – Mason Crosby 44-yard field goal, 6:15. Packers 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 51 yards, 5:47.
GB – James Jones 27-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 0:56. Packers 24–7. Drive: 9 plays, 68 yards, 3:02.
Third quarter
GB – Randall Cobb 4-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 7:18. Packers 31–7. Drive: 1 play, 4 yards, 0:04.
KC – Jeremy Maclin 5-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 0:56. Packers 31–14. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 6:22.
Fourth quarter
GB – Randall Cobb 4-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), 12:10. Packers 38–14. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:46.
KC – Jamaal Charles 4-yard run (Alex Smith–Travis Kelce pass), 9:56. Packers 38–22. Drive: 7 plays, 89 yards, 2:14.
KC – Jamaal Charles 7-yard run (pass failed), 1:25. Packers 38–28. Drive: 17 plays, 83 yards, 4:23.
Top passers
KC – Alex Smith – 24/40, 290 yards, TD, INT
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 24/35, 333 yards, 5 TD
Top rushers
KC – Jamaal Charles – 11 rushes, 49 yards, 3 TD
GB – Eddie Lacy – 10 rushes, 46 yards
Top receivers
In a rematch of the 2011 game , the Chiefs fell to 1–2.
Week 4: at Cincinnati Bengals
Game information
First quarter
CIN – Jeremy Hill 8-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 11:33. Bengals 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:27.
KC – Cairo Santos 22-yard field goal, 4:38. Bengals 7–3. Drive: 13 plays, 78 yards, 6:58.
CIN – Giovani Bernard 13-yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 0:53. Bengals 14–3. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 3:42.
Second quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 40 yard field goal, 12:44. Bengals 14–6. Drive: 6 plays, 58 yards, 3:09.
KC – Cairo Santos 51 yard field goal, 6:09. Bengals 14–9. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 4:34.
KC – Cairo Santos 34 yard field goal, 0:04. Bengals 14–12. Drive: 8 plays, 49 yards, 4:24.
Third quarter
CIN – Brandon Tate 55-yard pass from Andy Dalton (Mike Nugent kick), 8:43. Bengals 21–12. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 3:08.
KC – Cairo Santos 40 yard field goal, 4:37. Bengals 21–15. Drive: 8 plays, 58 yards, 4:06.
CIN – Jeremy Hill 5 yard run (Jeremy Hill run), 0:11. Bengals 29–15. Drive: 2 plays, 5 yards, 0:12.
Fourth quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 29 yard field goal, 9:28. Bengals 29–18. Drive: 16 plays, 71 yards, 5:43.
CIN – Jeremy Hill 1 yard run (Mike Nugent kick), 4:50. Bengals 36–18. Drive: 8 plays, 60 yards, 4:38.
KC – Cairo Santos 51 yard field goal, 2:34. Bengals 36–21. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 2:16.
Top passers
KC – Alex Smith – 31/45, 386 yards
CIN – Andy Dalton – 17/24, 321 yards, TD
Top rushers
KC – Jamaal Charles – 11 rushes, 75 yards
CIN – Giovani Bernard – 13 rushes, 62 yards, TD
Top receivers
Cairo Santos would kick 7 field goals in this game, setting a new franchise record for most field goals in one game by a Kansas City kicker. The 7 kicks also tied an NFL record. However, the 7 field goals by Santos were not enough to beat the Bengals, as the Chiefs fell to 1–3.
Week 5: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 5: Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Bears
3
0
3 12 18
Chiefs
7
10
0 0 17
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – De'Anthony Thomas 19-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 9:57. Chiefs 14–3. Drive: 7 plays, 54 yards, 3:28.
KC – Cairo Santos 35-yard field goal, 0:09. Chiefs 17–3. Drive: 11 plays, 57 yards, 3:00.
Third quarter
CHI – Robbie Gould 30-yard field goal, 3:29. Chiefs 17–6. Drive: 11 plays, 73 yards, 5:13.
Fourth quarter
CHI – Marquess Wilson 22-yard pass from Jay Cutler (pass failed), 3:05. Chiefs 17–12. Drive: 11 plays, 88 yards, 4:46.
CHI – Matt Forte 7-yard pass from Jay Cutler (pass failed), 0:18. Bears 18–17. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 1:46.
Top passers
CHI – Jay Cutler – 26/45, 252 yards, 2 TD
KC – Alex Smith – 16/30, 181 yards, TD
Top rushers
CHI – Matt Forte – 18 rushes, 71 yards
KC – Jamaal Charles – 12 rushes, 58 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Marquess Wilson – 6 receptions, 85 yards, TD
KC – Jeremy Maclin – 8 receptions, 85 yards
The Chiefs would build a 17–3 lead at one point, but Chicago would pull off a miraculous comeback to win 18–17. The Chiefs tried a 66-yard field goal, but Santos kick went wide right and missed everything near the goalposts. During this game, the Bears fans at times outnumbered the Chiefs fans, as Chicago fans are best known for good travel.
With the loss, Kansas City fell to 1–4. They would also lose Jamaal Charles for the season, as he tore his ACL in this game.
Week 6: at Minnesota Vikings
Game information
First quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 24-yard field goal, 5:40. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 4:00.
Second quarter
Third quarter
MIN – Blair Walsh 45-yard field goal, 8:51. Vikings 13–0. Drive: 6 plays, 46 yards, 2:34.
Fourth quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 48-yard field goal, 13:10. Vikings 13–3. Drive: 8 plays, 28 yards, 3:27.
KC – Albert Wilson 42-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 8:46. Vikings 13–10. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 2:26.
MIN – Blair Walsh 45-yard field goal, 4:46. Vikings 16–10. Drive: 10 plays, 53 yards, 4:00.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
With their fifth straight loss, the Chiefs fell to 1–5.
Week 7: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 7: Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Steelers
3
0
7 3 13
Chiefs
3
6
7 7 23
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Date : October 25Game time : 12:00 p.m. CDTGame weather : Sunny, 58 °F (14 °C)Game attendance : 76,365Referee : Walt Coleman TV announcers (CBS) : Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and Stacey DalesRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 30-yard field goal, 8:47. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 10 plays, 48 yards, 4:08.
PIT – Chris Boswell 24-yard field goal, 0:59. Tied 3–3. Drive: 14 plays, 61 yards, 7:48.
Second quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 22-yard field goal, 8:55. Chiefs 6–3. Drive: 13 plays, 77 yards, 7:04.
KC – Cairo Santos 27-yard field goal, 1:00. Chiefs 9–3. Drive: 8 plays, 59 yards, 3:41.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
PIT – Chris Boswell 36-yard field goal, 10:17. Chiefs 16–13. Drive: 7 plays, 54 yards, 3:56.
KC – Chris Conley 6-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 10:17. Chiefs 23–13. Drive: 8 plays, 84 yards, 5:04.
Top passers
PIT – Landry Jones – 16/29, 209 yards, TD, 2 INT
KC – Alex Smith – 21/32, 251 yards, TD
Top rushers
PIT – Le'Veon Bell – 17 rushes, 121 yards
KC – Charcandrick West – 22 rushes, 110 yards, TD
Top receivers
Ben Roethlisberger would not play in this game for the Steelers, so backup quarterback Landry Jones led the way for the Steelers. In his first career start, the Chiefs defense would force 3 turnovers, 2 of them interceptions, and the Chiefs would hold on to win 23–13.
With the win, the Chiefs improved to 2–5.
Week 8: vs. Detroit Lions
NFL International Series
Week 8: Detroit Lions at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Lions
3
0
0 7 10
Chiefs
7
17
7 14 45
at Wembley Stadium , London, England
Date : November 1Game time : 2:30 p.m. GMT /8:30 a.m. CSTGame weather : Cloudy, 50 °F (10 °C)Game attendance : 83,624Referee : Jeff Triplette TV announcers (Fox) : Sam Rosen, John Lynch and Pam OliverRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Alex Smith 12-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 12:00. Chiefs 14–3. Drive: 7 plays, 73 yards, 2:47.
KC – Cairo Santos 33-yard field goal, 8:33. Chiefs 17–3. Drive: 6 plays, 22 yards, 2:42.
KC – Charcandrick West 8-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 3:26. Chiefs 24–3. Drive: 6 plays, 52 yards, 2:53.
Third quarter
KC – Travis Kelce 2-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 8:53. Chiefs 31–3. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 6:07.
Fourth quarter
KC – Jeremy Maclin 17-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 10:11. Chiefs 38–3. Drive: 2 plays, 16 yards, 0:46.
DET – Lance Moore 21-yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Matt Prater kick), 7:21. Chiefs 38–10. Drive: 7 plays, 77 yards, 2:50.
KC – Spencer Ware 4-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 6:40. Chiefs 45–10. Drive: 2 plays, 41 yards, 0:41.
Top passers
DET – Matthew Stafford – 22/36, 217 yards, TD, 2 INT
KC – Alex Smith – 18/26, 145 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
DET – Joique Bell – 7 rushes, 56 yards
KC – Charcandrick West – 20 rushes, 97 yards, TD
Top receivers
DET – Calvin Johnson – 5 receptions, 85 yards
KC – Travis Kelce – 6 receptions, 49 yards, TD
In their first ever game in London, the Chiefs routed the crestfallen 1–6 Detroit Lions. With the win, Kansas City improved to 3–5.
Week 10: at Denver Broncos
Game information
First quarter
KC – Charcandrick West 4-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 11:21. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 5 plays, 31 yards, 2:36.
KC – Cairo Santos 48-yard field goal, 6:19. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 43 yards, 3:52.
Second quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 49-yard field goal, 11:35. Chiefs 13–0. Drive: 8 plays, 19 yards, 3:31.
KC – Cairo Santos 34-yard field goal, 3:30. Chiefs 16–0. Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:21.
KC – Cairo Santos 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Chiefs 19–0. Drive: 12 plays, 46 yards, 2:38.
Third quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 50-yard field goal, 10:45. Chiefs 22–0. Drive: 6 plays, 9 yards, 2:31.
Fourth quarter
KC – Charcandrick West 80-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 11:10. Chiefs 29–0. Drive: 2 plays, 81 yards, 0:53.
DEN – Ronnie Hillman 1-yard run (run failed), 5:27. Chiefs 29–6. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 5:43.
DEN – Andre Caldwell 7-yard pass from Brock Osweiler (Brandon McManus kick), 1:45. Chiefs 29–13. Drive: 5 plays, 62 yards, 1:23.
Top passers
KC – Alex Smith – 17/31, 204 yards, TD
DEN – Brock Osweiler – 14/24, 146 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
KC – Charcandrick West – 24 rushes, 69 yards, TD
DEN – Ronnie Hillman – 11 rushes, 42 yards, TD
Top receivers
KC – Charcandrick West – 3 receptions, 92 yards, TD
DEN – Demaryius Thomas – 7 receptions, 71 yards
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning would set the all-time record for most passing yards in NFL history in this game, but the Chiefs defense would have themselves a day, picking off Bronco quarterbacks five times, four on Manning, one on Brock Osweiler , and the Chiefs routed the Broncos, 29–13.
With the win, the Chiefs went to 4–5, and snapped their seven-game losing streak against the Broncos.
Week 11: at San Diego Chargers
Week 11: Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Chiefs
6
6
7 14 33
Chargers
0
3
0 0 3
at Qualcomm Stadium , San Diego, California
Date : November 22Game time : 3:05 p.m. CST/1:05 p.m. PST Game weather : Sunny, 87 °F (31 °C)Game attendance : 65,837Referee : Carl Cheffers TV announcers (CBS) : Spero Dedes and Solomon WilcotsRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
KC – Dontari Poe 1-yard run (kick failed, wide right), 2:09. Chiefs 6–0. Drive: 9 plays, 71 yards, 5:26.
Second quarter
SD – Josh Lambo 52-yard field goal, 12:09. Chiefs 6–3. Drive: 11 plays, 46 yards, 5:00.
KC – Cairo Santos 28-yard field goal, 5:53. Chiefs 9–3. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 6:16.
KC – Cairo Santos 24-yard field goal, 0:03. Chiefs 12–3. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 2:14.
Third quarter
KC – Justin Houston 17-yard interception return (Cairo Santos kick), 3:27. Chiefs 19–3.
Fourth quarter
KC – Spencer Ware 3-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 6:11. Chiefs 26–3. Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 3:39.
KC – Spencer Ware 3-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 2:32. Chiefs 33–3. Drive: 3 plays, 24 yards, 1:41.
Top passers
Top rushers
KC – Spencer Ware – 11 rushes, 96 yards, 2 TD
SD – Melvin Gordon – 15 rushes, 37 yards
Top receivers
With the huge win, Kansas City went to 5–5, and climbed back into playoff contention.
Week 12: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 12: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Bills
10
6
6 0 22
Chiefs
0
14
10 6 30
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Date : November 29Game time : 12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : Cloudy and rainy, 35 °F (2 °C)Game attendance : 72,493Referee : Terry McAulay TV announcers (CBS) : Kevin Harlan and Rich GannonRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
BUF – Dan Carpenter 27-yard field goal, 11:53. Bills 3–0. Drive: 7 plays, 68 yards, 3:07.
BUF – Sammy Watkins 28-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor (Dan Carpenter kick), 1:04. Bills 10–0. Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 4:15.
Second quarter
KC – Spencer Ware 3-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 6:57. Bills 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:10.
BUF – Sammy Watkins 21-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor (kick failed, wide right), 2:29. Bills 16–7. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 4:28.
KC – Jeremy Maclin 41-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 1:48. Bills 16–14. Drive: 2 plays, 80 yards, 0:41.
Third quarter
KC – Travis Kelce 15-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 11:15. Chiefs 21–16. Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 3:45.
KC – Cairo Santos 49-yard field goal, 8:07. Chiefs 24–16. Drive: 4 plays, 3 yards, 1:35.
BUF – LeSean McCoy 10-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor (pass failed), 3:11. Chiefs 24–22. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 4:56.
Fourth quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 38-yard field goal, 13:00. Chiefs 27–22. Drive: 10 plays, 59 yards, 5:11.
KC – Cairo Santos 37-yard field goal, 3:30. Chiefs 30–22. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 6:31.
Top passers
BUF – Tyrod Taylor – 21/38, 291 yards, 3 TD
KC – Alex Smith – 19/30, 255 yards, 2 TD
Top rushers
BUF – LeSean McCoy – 19 rushes, 70 yards
KC – Spencer Ware – 19 rushes, 114 yards, TD
Top receivers
BUF – Sammy Watkins – 6 receptions, 158 yards, 2 TD
KC – Jeremy Maclin – 9 receptions, 160 yards, TD
With the win, Kansas City went to 6–5.
Week 13: at Oakland Raiders
Week 13: Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Chiefs
7
0
7 20 34
Raiders
7
7
6 0 20
at O.co Coliseum , Oakland, California
Date : December 6Game time : 3:05 p.m. CST/1:05 p.m. PSTGame weather : Overcast, 57 °F (14 °C)Game attendance : 55,010Referee : Craig Wrolstad TV announcers (CBS) : Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and Jamie ErdahlRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
OAK – Michael Crabtree 25-yard pass from Derek Carr (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 0:13. Raiders 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 36 yards, 0:40.
Third quarter
KC – Spencer Ware 10-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 9:16. Tied 14–14. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 5:44.
OAK – Lee Smith 5-yard pass from Derek Carr (kick failed, hit left upright), 2:12. Raiders 20–14. Drive: 13 plays, 83 yards, 7:04.
Fourth quarter
KC – Jeremy Maclin 1-yard pass from Alex Smith (pass failed), 11:17. Tied 20–20. Drive: 2 plays, 2 yards, 0:41.
KC – Jeremy Maclin 13-yard pass from Alex Smith (kick failed, wide right), 7:57. Chiefs 26–20. Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:11.
KC – Tyvon Branch 38-yard interception return (Alex Smith–Travis Kelce pass), 3:14. Chiefs 34–20.
Top passers
KC – Alex Smith – 16/22, 162 yards, 2 TD
OAK – Derek Carr – 31/48, 283 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT
Top rushers
KC – Charcandrick West – 9 rushes, 35 yards
OAK – Latavius Murray – 20 rushes, 86 yards, TD
Top receivers
KC – Jeremy Maclin – 9 receptions, 95 yards, 2 TD
OAK – Amari Cooper – 4 receptions, 69 yards
With the win, the Chiefs went to 7–5.
Week 14: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 14: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Chargers
0
0
3 0 3
Chiefs
0
10
0 0 10
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Albert Wilson 44-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 1:53. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 96 yards, 5:23.
KC – Cairo Santos 40-yard field goal, 0:02. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 4 plays, 39 yards, 0:27.
Third quarter
SD – Josh Lambo 30-yard field goal, 5:47. Chiefs 10–3. Drive: 10 plays, 52 yards, 6:22.
Fourth quarter
Top passers
SD – Philip Rivers – 24/43, 263 yards, INT
KC – Alex Smith – 15/23, 191 yards, TD, INT
Top rushers
Top receivers
SD – Antonio Gates – 6 receptions, 76 yards
KC – Albert Wilson – 4 receptions, 87 yards, TD
With the low-scoring win, the Chiefs went to 8–5 and swept the Chargers for the second straight season.
Week 15: at Baltimore Ravens
Week 15: Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Chiefs
14
10
0 10 34
Ravens
7
7
0 0 14
at M&T Bank Stadium , Baltimore, Maryland
Date : December 20Game time : 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : Sunny, 41 °F (5 °C)Game attendance : 70,791Referee : Jeff TripletteTV announcers (CBS) : Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon and Chris Fischer Recap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Jeremy Maclin 13-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 14:56. Chiefs 21–7. Drive: 3 plays, 24 yards, 1:21.
KC – Cairo Santos 53-yard field goal, 0:50. Chiefs 24–7. Drive: 8 plays, 29 yards, 3:16.
BAL – Kamar Aiken 48-yard pass from Jimmy Clausen (Justin Tucker kick), 0:00. Chiefs 24–14. Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 0:50.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 32-yard field goal, 6:45. Chiefs 27–14. Drive: 14 plays, 81 yards, 8:41.
KC – Marcus Peters 90-yard interception return (Cairo Santos kick), 4:36. Chiefs 34–14.
Top passers
KC – Alex Smith – 21/25, 171 yards, TD
BAL – Jimmy Clausen – 26/45, 282 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
KC – Charcandrick West – 16 rushes, 76 yards, TD
BAL – Terrance West – 7 rushes, 35 yards
Top receivers
KC – Travis Kelce – 6 receptions, 73 yards
BAL – Kamar Aiken – 8 receptions, 128 yards, TD
Rookie Marcus Peters would put the dagger into the Ravens, as he returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown. With the win, the Chiefs went to 9–5.
Week 16: vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 16: Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Browns
0
3
7 3 13
Chiefs
10
7
0 0 17
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Date : December 27Game time : 12:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : Cloudy, 36 °F (2 °C)Game attendance : 69,115Referee : Walt AndersonTV announcers (CBS) : Kevin Harlan and Rich GannonRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
KC – Jeremy Maclin 11-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 7:57. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 7:08.
KC – Cairo Santos 40-yard field goal, 2:24. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 9 plays, 39 yards, 4:43.
Second quarter
CLE – Travis Coons 45-yard field goal, 9:02. Chiefs 10–3. Drive: 7 plays, 29 yards, 3:36.
KC – Travis Kelce 13-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 0:36. Chiefs 17–3. Drive: 5 plays, 56 yards, 1:03.
Third quarter
CLE – Isaiah Crowell 10-yard run (Travis Coons kick), 9:21. Chiefs 17–10. Drive: 9 plays, 82 yards, 5:45.
Fourth quarter
CLE – Travis Coons 36-yard field goal, 8:31. Chiefs 17–13. Drive: 21 plays, 62 yards, 12:01.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
The Browns, led by Johnny Manziel , attempted a comeback to put a stop to Kansas City's playoff hopes, but Cleveland did not have any timeouts remaining, and they ultimately ran out of time when Manziel couldn't advance the ball down the field fast enough.
With the win, the Chiefs went to 10–5 and clinched a playoff spot.
Week 17: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 17: Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Raiders
0
10
0 7 17
Chiefs
14
0
9 0 23
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Date : January 3, 2016Game time : 3:25 p.m. CSTGame weather : Sunny, 37 °F (3 °C)Game attendance : 76,114Referee : Tony CorrenteTV announcers (Fox) : Kevin Burkhardt , John Lynch and Pam OliverRecap , Game Book
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 29-yard field goal, 13:40. Chiefs 14–3. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 2:11.
OAK – David Amerson 24-yard interception return (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 3:27. Chiefs 14–10.
Third quarter
KC – Punt blocked by D. J. Alexander out of bounds in end zone for a Safety, 9:01. Chiefs 16–10.
KC – Demetrius Harris 15-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 7:03. Chiefs 23–10. Drive: 4 plays, 53 yards, 1:58.
Fourth quarter
OAK – Michael Crabtree 31-yard pass from Derek Carr (Sebastian Janikowski kick), 2:01. Chiefs 23–17. Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 1:14.
Top passers
OAK – Derek Carr – 21/33, 194 yards, TD, INT
KC – Alex Smith – 14/24, 156 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Top rushers
OAK – Latavius Murray – 11 rushes, 31 yards
KC – Spencer Ware – 16 rushes, 76 yards, TD
Top receivers
OAK – Clive Walford – 4 receptions, 46 yards
KC – Jeremy Maclin – 3 receptions, 54 yards, TD
With their 10th straight win, the Chiefs ended their season at 11–5. They were the first team to end a season with 10 or more consecutive wins since the 2012 Broncos won 11 in a row to end their season.
Standings
Division
Conference
#
Team
Division
W
L
T
PCT
DIV
CONF
SOS
SOV
STK
Division Leaders
1[ a]
Denver Broncos
West
12
4
0
.750
4–2
8–4
.500
.479
W2
2[ a]
New England Patriots
East
12
4
0
.750
4–2
9–3
.473
.448
L2
3[ a]
Cincinnati Bengals
North
12
4
0
.750
5–1
9–3
.477
.406
W1
4
Houston Texans
South
9
7
0
.563
5–1
7–5
.496
.410
W3
Wild Cards
5
Kansas City Chiefs
West
11
5
0
.688
5–1
10–2
.496
.432
W10
6[ b]
Pittsburgh Steelers
North
10
6
0
.625
3–3
7–5
.504
.463
W1
Did not qualify for the postseason
7[ b]
New York Jets
East
10
6
0
.625
3–3
7–5
.441
.388
L1
8[ c]
Buffalo Bills
East
8
8
0
.500
4–2
7–5
.508
.438
W2
9[ c]
Indianapolis Colts
South
8
8
0
.500
4–2
6–6
.500
.406
W2
10
Oakland Raiders
West
7
9
0
.438
3–3
7–5
.512
.366
L1
11
Miami Dolphins
East
6
10
0
.375
1–5
4–8
.469
.469
W2
12[ d]
Jacksonville Jaguars
South
5
11
0
.313
2–4
5–7
.473
.375
L3
13[ d]
Baltimore Ravens
North
5
11
0
.313
3–3
4–8
.508
.425
L1
14
San Diego Chargers
West
4
12
0
.250
0–6
3–9
.527
.328
L2
15[ e]
Cleveland Browns
North
3
13
0
.188
1–5
2–10
.531
.271
L3
16[ e]
Tennessee Titans
South
3
13
0
.188
1–5
1–11
.492
.375
L4
Tiebreakers [ f]
^ a b c Denver finished ahead of New England and Cincinnati for the No. 1 seed based on head-to-head sweep. New England finished ahead of Cincinnati for the No. 2 seed based on record vs. common opponents — New England's cumulative record against Buffalo, Denver, Houston and Pittsburgh was 4–1, while Cincinnati's cumulative record against the same four teams was 2–3.
^ a b Pittsburgh finished ahead of the New York Jets for the No. 6 seed and qualified for the last playoff spot based on record vs. common opponents — Pittsburgh's cumulative record against Cleveland, Indianapolis, New England and Oakland was 4–1, while the Jets' cumulative record against the same four teams was 3–2.
^ a b Buffalo finished ahead of Indianapolis based on head-to-head victory.
^ a b Jacksonville finished ahead of Baltimore based on head-to-head victory.
^ a b Cleveland finished ahead of Tennessee based on head-to-head victory.
^ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division.
Postseason
Schedule
Game summaries
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (4) Houston Texans
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: (5) Kansas City Chiefs at (4) Houston Texans – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Chiefs
7
6
7 10 30
Texans
0
0
0 0 0
at NRG Stadium , Houston, Texas
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Cairo Santos 49-yard field goal, 12:50. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 5 plays, 27 yards, 2:30.
KC – Cairo Santos 49-yard field goal, 7:06. Chiefs 13–0. Drive: 6 plays, 40 yards, 3:29.
Third quarter
KC – Chris Conley 9-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 4:35. Chiefs 20–0. Drive: 11 plays, 94 yards, 5:23.
Fourth quarter
KC – Spencer Ware 5-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 14:56. Chiefs 27–0. Drive: 8 plays, 71 yards, 4:13.
KC – Cairo Santos 33-yard field goal, 3:59. Chiefs 30–0. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 2:13.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
The Texans, who won the AFC South division with a 9–7 record, were completely crushed by the Chiefs. The Chiefs were the first team since the 2006 Bears to score a kick return touchdown on the opening play of the playoffs, when Knile Davis returned the opening kick 106 yards for a touchdown. After that, the game started to slow down, with both teams going three-and-out before a string of turnovers, Eric Berry 's interception of Brian Hoyer , Brian Cushing 's interception of Alex Smith two plays later, and a Hoyer fumble recovered by Dontari Poe on the ensuing drive. The Chiefs made a field goal on the drive, and although the team was able to get to the 2-yard line, a negative run by J. J. Watt and another interception by Hoyer ended the Texans' closest chance at scoring in the entire game. Although the Texans' defense forced a three-and-out, Hoyer threw his third interception to Marcus Peters on the second play of their drive.
The win was Kansas City’s first playoff win since 1993 , ironically in The Astrodome .
AFC Divisional Playoffs: at (2) New England Patriots
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
NE – Tom Brady 1-yard run (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 3:23. Patriots 14–3. Drive: 11 plays, 98 yards, 5:36.
KC – Cairo Santos 32-yard field goal, 0:12. Patriots 14–6. Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 3:11.
Third quarter
NE – Rob Gronkowski 16-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), 8:24. Patriots 21–6. Drive: 5 plays, 69 yards, 2:07.
KC – Albert Wilson 10-yard pass from Alex Smith (Cairo Santos kick), 2:12. Patriots 21–13. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:12.
Fourth quarter
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 40-yard field goal, 14:46. Patriots 24–13. Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 2:26.
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 32-yard field goal, 10:20. Patriots 27–13. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 2:06.
KC – Charcandrick West 1-yard run (Cairo Santos kick), 1:13. Patriots 27–20. Drive: 16 plays, 80 yards, 5:16.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
The Chiefs, who had won 11 straight, travelled to Gillete Stadium to face the Patriots, who had advanced to the AFC Championship for the last five years. The Patriots scored first blood with a Rob Gronkowski touchdown catch, followed by a Cairo Santos field goal for Kansas City. The pattern was duplicated in the second quarter, with Tom Brady rushing for a score before Santos kicked another field goal. In the third quarter, after Gronkowski scored his second TD, Alex Smith threw his first to Albert Wilson. The Patriots responded with two fourth-quarter field goals to make the score 27–13 with 10:20 left. Although the Chiefs engineered a touchdown drive late in the game, the drive took up over 5 minutes, and the Chiefs had to force a three-and-out (with three timeouts) to have a chance. On second down, when Brady threw the ball instead of running it to waste time, the ball was batted and miraculously caught by Julian Edelman for a first down, ending the game.
References
External links
Founded in 1960
Formerly the Dallas Texans (1960–1962)
Based and headquartered in Kansas City , Missouri
Franchise Stadiums Key personnel Culture Lore Rivalries Wild card berths (10) Division championships (16) Conference championships (4) League championships (5) Retired numbers Media Current league affiliations Former league affiliation
Formerly the Dallas Texans (1960–1962)