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Nobody at Broncos headquarters is second-guessing Gary Kubiak's ill-fated decision to try a 62-yard field goal even though Brandon McManus' miss gave the Chiefs a short field to win it as overtime expired.
Not the coach himself.
Not his players.
Not even his boss.
"We're in this game to WIN," general manager John Elway tweeted Monday. "Although everyone's disappointed, we played hard and went down swinging!!!!"
Kubiak said he would have been conceding a tie at best had he opted to pin the Chiefs deep with a punt instead.
While that would have been difficult to take, at least it would have benefited the Broncos (7-4) in the standings, however. With the 30-27 loss, the Broncos (7-4) fell from the top-six in the AFC playoff chase, imperiling their chances of defending their Super Bowl title.
That didn't come into Kubiak's equation with Denver facing fourth-and-10 from the K.C. 44 with 1:08 left in overtime Sunday night.
During a timeout, he decided to go for the gusto.
"It's a tough kick but it's something he's done and it's me showing confidence in him and confidence in our defense if it doesn't happen," Kubiak said. "I believe in our football team."
When McManus missed, the Chiefs (8-3) got the ball at the Broncos 48 and Cairo Santos banked a 37-yarder off the left upright as time expired.
The Broncos players aren't joining the chorus of second-guessers.
"I wouldn't play for a tie, either," linebacker Von Miller said.
Around the league
Bears • Linebacker Danny Trevathan will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured right patellar tendon. Trevathan was injured in the fourth quarter of Sunday's 27-21 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Titans • Tennessee released starting cornerback Perrish Cox and will replace him on the roster by promoting cornerback Kalan Reed from the practice squad. Cox led the Titans with three interceptions and signed a three-year deal with Tennessee in March 2015. The six-year veteran had started 22 of 24 games with Tennessee but has struggled in pass coverage this season. The Titans currently rank 25th in the NFL against the pass.
Browns • Injured quarterback Robert Griffin III and his girlfriend say they had cash stolen from the car they took to Sunday's game against the New York Giants. The car was valet parked in the players' lot at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns said the team is looking into the situation and "will handle it appropriately."
Colts • Coach Chuck Pagano says the team is optimistic QB Andrew Luck will play next Monday night against the Jets after missing Thursday's loss to Pittsburgh with a concussion. —
NFL standings
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
East W L T Pct PF PA
New England 9 2 0 .818 293 197
Miami 7 4 0 .636 249 240
Buffalo 6 5 0 .545 281 236
N.Y. Jets 3 8 0 .273 196 266
South W L T Pct PF PA
Houston 6 5 0 .545 194 236
Tennessee 6 6 0 .500 308 296
Indianapolis 5 6 0 .455 270 301
Jacksonville 2 9 0 .182 214 293
North W L T Pct PF PA
Baltimore 6 5 0 .545 218 201
Pittsburgh 6 5 0 .545 266 222
Cincinnati 3 7 1 .318 213 245
Cleveland 0 12 0 .000 197 352
West W L T Pct PF PA
Oakland 9 2 0 .818 307 275
Kansas City 8 3 0 .727 252 214
Denver 7 4 0 .636 266 219
San Diego 5 6 0 .455 313 291
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
East W L T Pct PF PA
Dallas 10 1 0 .909 316 213
N.Y. Giants 8 3 0 .727 231 213
Washington 6 4 1 .591 280 264
Philadelphia 5 6 0 .455 254 213
South W L T Pct PF PA
Atlanta 7 4 0 .636 358 302
Tampa Bay 6 5 0 .545 249 264
New Orleans 5 6 0 .455 334 307
Carolina 4 7 0 .364 276 281
North W L T Pct PF PA
Detroit 7 4 0 .636 247 238
Minnesota 6 5 0 .545 218 192
Green Bay 5 6 0 .455 274 289
Chicago 2 9 0 .182 178 264
West W L T Pct PF PA
Seattle 7 3 1 .682 224 187
Arizona 4 6 1 .409 245 228
Los Angeles 4 7 0 .364 170 236
San Francisco 1 10 0 .091 228 344
Monday's game
Green Bay 27, Philadelphia 13
Thursday, Dec. 1
Dallas at Minnesota, 6:25 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 4
Kansas City at Atlanta, 11 a.m.
Los Angeles at New England, 11 a.m.
Philadelphia at Cincinnati, 11 a.m.
Miami at Baltimore, 11 a.m.
Denver at Jacksonville, 11 a.m.
Detroit at New Orleans, 11 a.m.
San Francisco at Chicago, 11 a.m.
Houston at Green Bay, 11 a.m.
Buffalo at Oakland, 2:05 p.m.
Washington at Arizona, 2:25 p.m.
Tampa Bay at San Diego, 2:25 p.m.
N.Y. Giants at Pittsburgh, 2:25 p.m.
Carolina at Seattle, 6:30 p.m.
Open: Tennessee, Cleveland
Monday, Dec. 5
Indianapolis at N.Y. Jets, 6:30 p.m.