KC-area Broncos put on a show against the Chiefs

Thursday night’s home opener for the Chiefs was a homecoming, of sorts, for a trio of Denver Broncos.

And each had his moment under the bright lights of prime-time during the nationally televised AFC West showdown at Arrowhead Stadium, which the Broncos won 31-24.

Two of the three were familiar opponents for the Chiefs. Veteran cornerbacks Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr., who both played at Kansas, pretty much held the Chiefs’ pass catchers in check throughout the game.

Actually, they did better than that, snaring an interception apiece as the Chiefs lost a heartbreaker against their biggest rivals.

For Talib, an eight-year NFL veteran, it was the 29th interception of his career, and a victory that took a back seat to precious few he’d experienced before.

“Winning this game like this, man …” Talib said, his diamond earrings catching the light in the visitors’ locker room. “This is definitely a top three, top five game for me.”

It didn’t escape Talib’s attention that the outcome seemed sealed until nearly the end, and that his teammates never gave up hope.

“You’ve gotta play until (the clock) says zero,” he said. “They (the Chiefs) found that out today.”

Denver’s stout cornerback play, arguably the best in the league right now, wasn’t lost on Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware. Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was pressured all night by the Broncos’ pass rush, and when he did throw, the Denver secondary often proved disruptive.

Smith’s final line: 16 of 25 for 191 yards, two interceptions and four sacks, for a passer rating of just 53.9.

Not to mention that one stat that continues to befuddle observers of this Andy Reid-coached offense: zero wide receiver touchdowns.

“You can see how our corners play,” Ware said. “They can play man, they can play zone, but they can disguise it.

“They made big plays with Aqib Talib and Chris Harris with their interceptions. That’s what those guys do.”

Outside linebacker Shane Ray, the baby of the Broncos’ defense as their first-round draft pick this year out of Missouri, held his own as part of a defensive front that includes veteran stars like Ware and Von Miller.

Ray, who played high school football at Bishop Miege and garnered SEC Defensive Player of the Year honors at Mizzou, got into the game only in certain situations and didn’t record a statistic.

He’ll have another chance to put his name in the box score when the Broncos play at Detroit a week from Sunday, but he’ll probably never forget his first game at home as a pro.

“There’s a lot of people in Kansas City who supported me all the way through from the beginning,” he said.

“Thank you for helping me get to this point. Sorry we had to win.”

This story was originally published September 18, 2015 at 12:11 AM with the headline "KC-area Broncos put on a show against the Chiefs."