Broncos 24, Chiefs 17: 5 Things We Learned

The Broncos and the Chiefs always make for an exciting matchup, and this early-season meeting didn't disappoint.

Halftime Quick Hitters: Denver Up 21-10 Over Kansas City

Here are five takeaways from Denver's 24-17 win:

5. Knile Davis is the real deal

When Jamaal Charles went down with an ankle injury in the first half, Chiefs fans assumed the worst...but backup RB Knile Davis was excellent in his absence. Ending up with 105 total yards on 22 carries and six catches, Davis isn't a big-play threat, but his presence as a reliable offensive outlet extended drive after drive and nearly won Kansas City the game.

4. The AFC West is LOADED

Okay, outside of Oakland. These two teams played excellent tactical football today, executing well on both offense and defense. If that wasn't enough, the Chargers took out the defending champion Seahawks...could this division send three teams to the playoffs for the second year in a row?

3. The Broncos' defensive investment is paying off

Aqib Talib and DeMarcus Ware both made their presence felt, and rookie LB Bradley Roby also looked solid, making two tackles for a loss. Denver's D still has plenty to prove, but they looked good today against a very impressive Kansas City team.

2. Kansas City might be the best 0-2 team in the NFL

Last week's baffling loss to Tennessee looks ever stranger after the Titans got rocked by the Cowboys, but the Chiefs battled valiantly in a close road loss to one of the NFL's best teams today...and that's without having Jamaal Charles or star safety Eric Berry for most of the game. Kansas City might be 0-2, but they'll be just fine.

1. Peyton Manning is still in a class by himself

Mr. Omaha ended the day with three touchdowns and 242 yards on 21/26 passing. His stats would have been even more impressive if the Chiefs hadn't dominated the time of possession with several extended drives.