DENVER (AP) — Peyton Manning walked away a winner in the biggest game of the year so far and, as a bonus, the Broncos might not even have to send his uniform off to the cleaners.

Manning threw for 323 yards and a touchdown Sunday night and was barely touched by Kansas City’s sack-happy defense in Denver’s 27-17 victory over the NFL’s last undefeated team.

It means the ’72 Dolphins can rest easy for another year. And it puts Denver and the Chiefs in a tie atop the AFC West at 9-1, with a rematch set in two weeks.

Manning has another big game before that – at New England in yet another showdown against Tom Brady. If the Broncos’ offensive line does anywhere near as good a job in that one as it did against the Chiefs, the quarterback’s ailing ankles – mummified with athletic tape for this critical game – should be feeling much better.

”The protection was outstanding, we ran the ball consistently, tried to keep them off-balance,” Manning said. ”We wanted a mix of running and passing game and I’m really proud of those guys up front.”

With Lindsey Vonn and boyfriend Tiger Woods on the sideline to watch the NFL’s must-see game of the year, the Denver offensive line, featuring tackles Chris Clark and Orlando Franklin, shut out Kansas City’s sack duo of Justin Houston and Tamba Hali along with the rest of the KC defense, which came in with a league-leading 36 sacks.

It was even better than that, though. Manning was barely touched all night. In fact, his most notable contact came in the first quarter when he and Montee Ball flubbed a handoff that Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson scooped up.

Johnson was barreling toward the end zone and what could’ve been a 7-3 lead. Manning lowered his shoulder and tripped him up. The Chiefs’ offense came out and fullback Anthony Sherman promptly fumbled the ball back to the Broncos.

Three plays later, Manning made the game’s biggest play, spotting receiver Demaryius Thomas in single coverage on the sideline for a 70-yard gain that set up the quarterback’s lone touchdown pass – a 9-yard strike to Julius Thomas for a 10-0 lead.

The Chiefs’ defense, which came into the game also leading the league in points allowed (12.8), remained stout throughout against the league’s highest-scoring offense (41.2). But eventually, Manning and Co., overwhelmed them, going 79, 65 and 62 yards for their last three scores and a 27-10 lead.

Ball capped two of the drives, once from 1 yard and another time from 8, to atone for the fumble, which was actually charged to Manning.

”We knew that once we got down to the red zone, getting touchdowns was critical,” Manning said. ”They make teams settle for field goals down there.”

The Chiefs, who hadn’t lost since a 38-3 setback in Denver last December to close out a 2-14 season, hadn’t allowed more than 17 points all year – a simple and effective explanation for one of the biggest turnarounds in NFL history.

But the offense, led by Alex Smith, simply isn’t built to win a high-scoring showdown.

Smith finished with 230 yards and two touchdowns. He completed four passes for 57 yards to Dwayne Bowe, who started, as promised, while his legal case for marijuana possession plays out. Jamaal Charles, who came in leading the AFC in rushing with 725 yards, added 78 to that.

But there was no big-play ability and the cool weather – game-time temperature 43 degrees – that brought Manning’s blue-and-gray glove out for the first time this season didn’t slow the quarterback or his offense at all.

Knowshon Moreno ran for 79 yards and kept the chains moving for Denver, while Wes Welker took his turn as Manning’s favorite target, catching eight passes for 72 yards before leaving to be evaluated for a possible concussion.

Though one touchdown pass marked a season low for Manning, it gave him 71 in his year-plus with the Broncos, already tying him for third in franchise history with Jake Plummer and Brian Griese. His 34 on the season are still on pace to break the record of the man he’ll face next week – Brady – in yet another big game for the Broncos, this time at New England.

While the Chiefs got shut out on the sack end – didn’t even record a hit on Manning – Shaun Phillips had a monster game for the Broncos: 10 tackles, two quarterback hits, two pass deflections and 1.5 sacks to more than make up for an off night from Von Miller, who only had one tackle.

— Associated Press —

The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Wednesday that the club has been awarded wide receiver Kyle Williams via waiver claim from the San Francisco 49ers. Additionally the team has released wide receiver Chad Hall.

Williams (5-10, 186) has played in 38 games (nine starts) in more than three NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2010-13).  His career numbers as a wide receiver include 47 receptions for 574 yards (12.2 avg.) with four touchdowns. He also served as a return man for the club, returning 21 punts for 170 yards (8.1 avg.) and 28 kickoffs for 673 yards (24.0 avg.). Williams originally entered the NFL as a sixth-round draft pick (206th overall) of the 49ers in the 2010 NFL Draft. The San Jose, Calif., native played collegiately at Arizona State where he tallied 109 receptions for 1,626 yards (14.9 avg.), 74 punt returns for 768 yards (10.4 avg.) and 31 kickoff returns for 709 yards (22.9 avg.). He prepped at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Hall (5-8, 187) has played in 22 games (one start) in just over two NFL seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. Hall joined the Chiefs on Sept. 1, 2013 via waiver claim from San Francisco. He played in seven games with Kansas City recording one catch for nine yards. Hall’s career numbers include 15 receptions for 144 yards (9.6 avg.) with two touchdowns. He has returned 10 punts for 107 yards (10.7 avg.) and six kickoffs for 108 yards (18.0 avg.). He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Eagles in 2010. Hall played collegiately at the Air Force Academy and prepped at Wesleyan School in Norcross, Ga.

— Chiefs Media Relations —

There were three new developments Wednesday as the story of Kansas City Chief Dwayne Bowe’s weekend drug bust unfolds.  The Chiefs wide receiver issued an apology, his lawyer said he was innocent, and his coach said he’d start on Sunday.

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“I apologize to the Hunt Family, Coach Reid, my teammates and Chiefs fans for the distraction I have caused the team this week,” Bowe said in a statement. “Due to the nature of the pending matter, I am unable to make any further comment on the situation.”

His lawyer, attorney Kevin E. J. Regan, told KMBC-TV his client is “unequivocaqlly, 100% innocent in this matter.”

“We look forward to clearing his good name at our earliest opportunity.”

Bowe was arrested on suspicion of speeding and possessing a controlled substance, according to Riverside police. But head coach Andy Reid says the situation is not a distraction to the team, which faces the Denver Broncos Sunday night in a pivotal division matchup.

“It is a legal matter and that’s the way we’ll handle it,” Reid told reporters.

“Dwayne will play. He’ll start.”

“I’m sure the question will come up about the ‘Dwayne part’ being a distraction, but I think this football team is focused in on the Denver Broncos, and solely on the Denver Broncos.”

This isn’t the first time that Bowe has made questionable decisions.

He was suspended four games in 2009 for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs after taking what his agent called an unapproved weight-loss supplement. He also made questionable comments to a magazine a few years ago about womanizing that allegedly occurred at team hotels, and then misstated the name of Chiefs ownership family in his apology.

Now in his seventh season, Bowe is second in franchise history with 448 catches, trailing only former tight end Tony Gonzalez. He has 6,078 yards receiving, sixth-most in team history, and 41 touchdown catches, fifth-most in Chiefs history.

Bowe, who signed five-year, $56 million deal in the offseason, has struggled to live up to the expectations that come with being one of the game’s best-paid wide receivers. He’s second on the team with 33 catches for 369 yards and two touchdowns.

Dwayne Bowe will start for the Kansas City Chiefs in their marquee match up Sunday night against Denver.

That’s the word today from ESPN, which reported that Bowe practiced on Monday, and he was expected to practice with the team on Wednesday.

ESPN reported that Head Coach Andy Reid wasexpected to address the matter at his regular meeting with the media Wednesday afternoon.

The network reports that because of the collective bargaining agreement, this is a league issue. ESPN reported the team could not suspend Bowe even if they wanted to.

The league will review Bowe’s case for potential discipline once the case is adjudicated.

Bowe was arrested for possession of marijuana during a traffic stop in Riverside, Missouri on Sunday.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Chiefs cornerback Sean Smith was exhausted after he returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown.

”I was definitely happy I made it,” Smith said. ”I wanted to celebrate, but I was too tired.”

That’s fine, because the Chiefs are suddenly breathing easier after their defense kept Kansas City’s perfect start intact.

Smith’s interception and linebacker Tamba Hali’s 11-yard fumble return for a touchdown aided the Chiefs in overcoming a pedestrian offense and their own leaky defense in securing a 23-13 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Kansas City (9-0) remained the NFL’s only undefeated team and matched the best start in franchise history set in 2003. The Chiefs now enter their bye week before a key AFC West showdown against the Denver Broncos (7-1) on Nov. 17.

If the only thing perfect about the Chiefs is their record so far, coach Andy Reid refuses to make any apologies.

”We’re not going to make excuses for it,” said Reid, who in his first year has the Chiefs continuing their worst-to-first run after a 2-14 finish last season. ”We’re pretty happy that we got the touchdowns. We’ll take them any way we can get them.”

The Chiefs’ defense led the way, outscoring the Alex Smith-led offense, which was limited to three field goals. And the defense had to compensate for its own problems in having difficulty containing a Buffalo offense headed by Jeff Tuel, an undrafted rookie making his first career start.

Despite allowing a season-worst 470 yards of offense and 25 first downs, the Chiefs were opportunistic in holding their ninth consecutive opponent to 17 points or less to match an NFL record set by the 1977 Atlanta Falcons.

Smith’s interception turned the momentum, tying the score at 10 after Tuel had marched the Bills 79 yards on the opening drive of the third quarter.

Hali then put the Chiefs ahead for good by scooping up T.J. Graham’s fumble – forced by cornerback Marcus Cooper – and running it in to put Kansas City ahead 20-13 with 12:47 left.

”We don’t really care what people think,” Hali said of the Chiefs’ victories lacking style points. ”Sometimes the stats don’t really tell you the outcome.”

Tell that to the Bills (3-6), who were left stunned and frustrated in attempting to figure out how they let this one slip away.

”Horrible,” offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said. ”It was shocking even to our guys. We did everything we wanted. We just couldn’t finish it.”

The difference was turnovers, as the Chiefs turned Buffalo’s three giveaways – two interceptions thrown by Tuel and Graham’s fumble – into 17 points.

The loss marred what began as a solid outing by Tuel, who became the third quarterback to start for Buffalo this season. He played in place of interim starter Thad Lewis, who was sidelined by bruised ribs, and with rookie starter EJ Manuel missing his fourth game with a sprained right knee.

Tuel’s 139 yards passing in the first half were the most by a Bills quarterback in the first two quarters this season. And Tuel was in a position to improve his numbers after marching Buffalo to the Kansas City 1 on the opening drive of the second half before his day went awry.

Facing third-and-goal, Tuel took a shotgun snap, and looked immediately to his right, where Graham was running a slant pattern. Tuel, however, failed to account for Smith, who easily picked off the pass at the goal line and then took off up the left sideline.

”It’s very frustrating,” Tuel said. ”That’s 100 percent my fault.”

Tuel finished 18 of 39 for 229 yards passing, and a 59-yard touchdown to Marquise Goodwin.

For Kansas City, Smith completed 19 of 29 passes for just 124 yards. Running back Jamaal Charles was held under 100 yards from scrimmage for the first time this season.

Kansas City also snapped a six-game losing streak at Orchard Park that included two playoff losses, winning there for the first time since Sept. 28, 1986.

— Associated Press —