The Kansas City Chiefs took an early lead over the Denver Broncos in Week 8 of the 2026 NFL regular season when star quarterback Patrick Mahomes connected with wide receiver Rashee Rice in the red zone at Empower Field.
After Denver won the opening kickoff and elected to defer, Kansas City's offense struggled to get in gear on the game's opening drive.
The Broncos took an early lead after scoring a field goal on their first possession, which gave Mahomes and Rice all the motivation they needed to dominate when the Chiefs got the ball back.
Take a look at Mahomes' outstanding pass to Rice that gave Kansas City a 7-3 lead in the first quarter:
Chiefs offense heads right down the field for 6 KCvsDEN on CBS/Paramount+ Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/MZNXLjLTdz
— NFL (@NFL) November 1, 2026
While this play gave the Chiefs a valuable advantage on the scoreboard, Kansas City's coaching staff won't be able to take its foot off the gas pedal if they intend to defeat Denver at Mile High Stadium in Week 8.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Mahomes, Rice connect for early touchdown vs. Broncos in Week 8
