The guy just loves playing against the Denver Broncos.
There's really no other way to explain the success All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce has had against the Chiefs' division rival—finishing Monday night with seven catches for 133 yards and a touchdown.
Overall, Kelce accounted for almost half of the Chiefs' total offensive yards (276).
It's the third-straight game Kelce has gone over 100 yards against the usually stingy Broncos' pass defense, and over his last three games, Kelce has 26 receptions for 394 yards and two touchdowns against them.
"He's just a match up problem," quarterback Alex Smith explained. "He's bigger than most corners, and route-running wise, he's a tough match up for safeties and linebackers, so it's a little bit of pick your poison. He's had success throughout his career verse all three of those matchups. Obviously, he does a heck of a job understanding what they're doing to him and how he combats it.
"He always seems to have comeback move off of it. He knows how teams play him and has a good plan of attack going into games."
Kelce has now caught a pass in 56 consecutive games, which is tied for the third-longest streak in franchise history.
"They've tried a lot of things, and that's credit to the kid," Chiefs' coach Andy Reid explained. "[Kelce] has fought through double teams, quick jams at the line, all those things teams try to do to disrupt his game and he's battled through it and found ways to get himself open. He's one of the best, if not the best, in the business, so it's a tribute to him for fighting there."
After the game, Kelce was asked about his recent success against the Broncos.
"I wish there was a secret," he explained. "We just go out there and try to be accountable for Alex. He's been able to spread the ball around on the money. This year I'm just happy for him. He's finally having the year I've known he could have and sure enough benefiting from it."
Smith finished 14 of 31 for 202 yards and a touchdown, and extended his touchdown-to-interception ratio to 16 to 0. Smith had just 15 touchdowns all of last season, and he's benefitted from his All-Pro tight end making plays in the biggest of moments.
"I want the ball every single play," Kelce added. "That's just how I grew up playing. I was a quarterback because I loved having the football in my hands when I was growing up and sure enough when I moved to tight end in college, I've always been the same way."
Midway through the first quarter, Smith hit Kelce for a 29-yard score to extend the Chiefs' lead to 14-0.
"I think it was just a man-to-man route and I knew he was playing heavy inside leverage and just gave him a quick move and try to take him off and use my burners, use that speed I got, that turbo I got sitting in the trunk, and sure enough, Alex put the ball right on the money," Kelce explained. "It couldn't have been any better if I was covered, so it's just making plays, man."
Despite the big performance and extension of their AFC West lead, Kelce said there's no time to rest on this victory or performance. They travel to Dallas on a short week to take on the Cowboys Sunday afternoon.
"It just gets us to next week," Kelce noted of Monday's win. "This league is a tricky league. You've got to maintain it throughout the year. We can't lose focus after seeing the bye here after this game, so we just got to lock it in, go down to Jerry's world and wreck some heads."
