Chiefs block Broncos' potential winner as time expires, hold on for 16-14 win to remain perfect

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have won just about every way imaginable during a perfect 15-game run that dates to last season: Patrick Mahomes leading last-second touchdown drives, their defense making a stand, and Harrison Butker kicking game-winning field goals.

They added a walk-off block to the list against the Broncos on Sunday.

Leo Chenal was part of a red wave that crashed through the center of the Denver field goal unit, and the Chiefs linebacker got his hand on Wil Lutz's 35-yard attempt as time expired, allowing Kansas City to escape with a 16-14 victory.

“It's a complete shock, you know? Not much I can say about it," Chenal said. “I was really praying for something to happen. That moment is so heavy. There's a second on the clock, they're going to kick a field goal and you feel the weight of the moment.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid indicated they took advantage of something they had seen in the Broncos' field-goal operation.

“We did,” Reid said, “but it's also something we work on like crazy. It normally doesn't work quite like that one.”

The Chiefs had taken the lead on Butker's field goal with 5:57 remaining, but Bo Nix and the Broncos converted a trio of third downs while marching right back down the field. They proceeded to set up Lutz for the winner, but Chenal came up the middle amid a big push by the Kansas City defensive line to get his hand on the kick.

The ball squibbed away toward the Denver sideline as the Chiefs rushed onto the field to celebrate.

“I felt like we outplayed them but we didn't finish,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “That one will take a while. It'll sting.”

Mahomes finished with 266 yards passing and a touchdown for the Chiefs, who became only the fifth Super Bowl champion to win its first nine games the next season. That also matches the best start to a season in franchise history, and their 15-game win streak dating to last season is the longest in the NFL since the Packers won 19 in a row from 2010-11.

Travis Kelce had eight catches for 64 yards and a touchdown for Kansas City. DeAndre Hopkins caught four passes for 56 yards, and Kareem Hunt was held to 35 yards rushing but also caught seven passes for 65 yards.

“Any way you win is good in this league,” Mahomes said. “You live for these moments. When you grow up playing football, you live for the walk-off whatever-it-is. And I'm glad we get to experience it together.”

Nix finished with 215 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Broncos (5-5). Courtland Sutton had six catches for 60 yards and a score. And their 13-yard hookup on third-and-6 with 1:45 left is what gave Denver a chance to kick as time expired.

“They just made one extra play. When we thought it was in our hands, it wasn't,” Nix said. “It's tough. And again, it's two good football teams out there playing against each other, and one day it will go our way.”

The Broncos stunned the Chiefs a year ago, forcing five turnovers in a 21-9 win at Denver that ended a 16-game losing streak in the series. And they clearly had the same intention in mind as the AFC West rivals met again Sunday.

Their defense harassed Mahomes throughout the first half, particularly when an injury to Wanya Morris forced rookie left tackle Kingsley Suamataia into the game. And the Broncos capitalized on offense with two long scoring drives, the first ending with Nix finding Devaughn Vele wide open and the second with Sutton's 32-yard TD catch for a 14-3 lead.

It was Mahomes who got the Chiefs on track, going 7 for 7 for 62 yards on the ensuing drive. When it looked as if it had stalled at the Denver 2, Reid went against his conservative nature on fourth down, and Mahomes hit Kelce for the score.

The Chiefs still trailed 14-10 at the break, meaning they had Denver right where they wanted them.

Unflappable in winning its last eight games when trailing in the second half, Kansas City closed within 14-13 on Butker's chip-shot field goal late in the third quarter. The Chiefs defense then forced back-to-back punts, and Mahomes and the offense drove to the Denver 2, where Butker added the go-ahead kick with just under six minutes remaining.

Plenty of time for the Broncos to drive down the field. Not enough time for them to win.

“I told our team I was proud of the way they fought. I thought we outplayed them," Payton said. “But nonetheless, you have to beat a champion and we weren't able to do it, so obviously gut-wrenching.”

Taylor Swift was back at Arrowhead Stadium to watch Kelce and the Chiefs just six days after turning up to see their win over Tampa Bay on Monday night. The pop superstar resumes her Eras Tour on Thursday night at Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Chiefs: Morris hurt his knee in the first half but returned early in the fourth quarter.

Denver plays Atlanta next Sunday.

Kansas City visits Buffalo the same day.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker celebrates after making a 28-yard field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce reacts after being overthrown in the end zone during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) catches a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Peyton Hendershot (88) runs with the ball as Denver Broncos inside linebacker Cody Barton and outside linebacker Jonah Elliss, right, defend during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is sacked for a 9-yard loss by Denver Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) is stopped by Denver Broncos outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, right, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele (17) catches a pass as Kansas City Chiefs safety Nazeeh Johnson (13) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) is congratulated by Justyn Ross (82) after catching a touchdown pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes pauses following an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 16-14. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (8) is unable to catch a pass as Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) and safety P.J. Locke (6) defend during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

A fan holds up a sign following an NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 16-14. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz (3) chases after the ball after his last-second field goal attempt was blocked during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs won 16-14. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 2, 2025--

Cirium, the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics, today announced the winners of its 2024 On-Time Performance Review, celebrating airlines and airports that excelled in on-time and operational performance.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250101214982/en/

Cirium’s Annual report is the gold standard for global airline and airport performance analytics. An on-time flight is defined as a flight that arrives within 14:59 minutes of the scheduled gate arrival time. Airports measure punctuality as departing flights within 14:59 minutes of their scheduled departure time.

Mexico’s Flag Carrier Tops Global Rankings

Aeromexico claimed the prestigious title of the most On-Time “Global Airline” in 2024, achieving an impressive On-Time performance rate of 86.70%. Saudia followed closely as the runner-up with 86.35%, while Delta Air Lines secured third place with 83.46%, continuing to showcase its operational reliability on the world stage.

Cirium’s Annual Review also acknowledges the operational excellence of airlines across the world, with five regional awards. Iberia Express, member of the International Airlines Group, had success as both the most On-Time airline in Europe, and the most On-Time Low-Cost airline globally. Japan Airlines ranked first within Asia-Pacific, just slightly ahead of All Nippon Airways.

Delta Air Lines continued its dominance in North America, while Copa Airlines achieved a landmark 10th win in Latin America. Safair’s also won most On-Time airline in the Middle East and Africa. The full tables of results by region and category are presented below.

Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport Takes Top Honors in the Global Airport Category

In the Airport categories, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport, the gateway to Saudi Arabia’s capital, claimed this year’s prestigious title of the most On-Time “Global Airport” with an impressive 86.65% of flights departing on time. The Middle Eastern hub further distinguished itself by securing victory in the ‘Large Airport’ category, outperforming top contenders from around the world.

The title of most On-Time ‘Medium Airport’ was awarded to Panama’s Tocumen International Airport - the home base for Latin American winner Copa Airlines, while the ‘Small Airport’ winner was Guayaquil Jose Joaquin de Olmedo International Airport in Ecuador.

Special Recognition of Operational Excellence: The Cirium Platinum Awards

Delta Air Lines topped the table for a fourth consecutive year, landing Cirium’s Platinum Award for global operational excellence. This prestigious accolade comes as the Atlanta-based airline continues to be praised for its unwavering commitment to operational performance.

The Platinum award considers the complexity of the carrier’s network, volume of flights, and the ability to limit the impact of flight disruptions on passengers over the entire year. The airline was recognized for its on-time performance over the course of 2024 at 83.46%, on more than 1,712,529 total flights in 2024.

This year, Cirium also presented its first annual Platinum Award to a global airport, with El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá, Colombia receiving this prestigious award. The Airport Platinum Award considers a broader range of factors including the impact of delays on passengers, the duration of disruptions, operational complexity, and the airport’s appeal, with a particular focus on growth. This holistic approach highlights excellence across multiple dimensions, setting a new benchmark in airport performance evaluation.

Jeremy Bowen, Cirium CEO, said: “In an industry defined by operational complexity, we are extremely proud to be celebrating the airlines and airports who have provided customers the most on-time flights and best performance in 2024, acknowledging their operational excellence.”

“2024 was a difficult year for airlines, facing a large-scale IT outage, and unseasonable and severe weather patterns. Despite these challenges, these airlines and airports have worked tirelessly to ensure their customers have a smooth journey and reach their destination on-time.”

“We extend our congratulations to all the winners of this year’s On-Time Performance Review, each of whom has set new standards in operational excellence. A special recognition goes to Delta Air Lines for continuing their outstanding winning streak with Cirium’s Platinum Award for airlines, Copa Airlines for achieving its 10th title as Latin America’s most On-Time airline, Iberia Express for its consistent performance as Europe’s most On-Time airline, and Bogotá El Dorado Airport for securing Cirium’s first-ever Platinum Award for an airport.”

Now in its 16th year, the Cirium On-Time Performance Review remains the definitive benchmark for monitoring global airline operational performance. Powered by Cirium’s vast and impartial data—sourced from over 600 real-time feeds, including airlines, airports, global distribution systems, and civil aviation authorities—it offers a thorough and objective view of the industry. The program is further strengthened by the guidance of an independent advisory board composed of seasoned industry experts with decades of experience.

Cirium’s full 2024 On-Time Performance Review is available to view and download at www.cirium.com/on-time-performance.

Notes to editors:

The results for 2024 for the top ten performers in all categories include the following:

Global Airline leaders were:

In Europe the leading airlines were:

In North America the leading airlines were:

In Asia Pacific the leading airlines were:

In Latin America the leading airlines were:

In the Middle East and Africa the leading airlines were:

The leading low-cost carriers were:

Global Airport leaders were:

Large Airports leaders were:

Medium Airports leaders were:

Small Airports leaders were:

About Cirium

Cirium® is the world’s most trusted source of aviation analytics. The company delivers powerful data and cutting-edge analytics to empower a wide spectrum of industry players. Equipping airlines, airports, travel enterprises, aircraft manufacturers, and financial entities with the clarity and intelligence they need to optimize their operations, make informed decisions, and accelerate revenue growth.

Cirium® is part of LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, a RELX business, which provides information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. The shares of RELX PLC are traded on the London, Amsterdam and New York Stock Exchanges using the following ticker symbols: London: REL; Amsterdam: REN; New York: RELX.

For further information please follow Cirium® on LinkedIn or visit cirium.com.

Cirium On-Time Performance Review 2024 (Photo: Business Wire)