Here's how the Denver Broncos can increase their chances of defeating the Kansas City Chiefs

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Patrick Mahomes has started 65 games for the Kansas City Chiefs, including the postseason.

The sample size dates back to the final game of the 2017 season, when Mahomes made his pro debut against the Broncos and led the Chiefs on a game-winning drive in the final moments that augured so much of what was to come.

Sixty-five games is enough for some key trends to emerge regarding what formula works for teams to have a chance against the Mahomes-led juggernaut.

Want to have a better chance of success against these Chiefs?

It starts simply:

RUN THE BALL!

Even without Melvin Gordon — who is doubtful for Sunday’s game after missing all three practices this week — pushing the envelope on the ground needs to be a point of emphasis with Javonte Williams and Mike Boone likely to carry the burden.

Of course, teams get away from the run when the game gets away from them. So, Pat Shurmur’s offense needs to keep within one score of the Chiefs … and not panic if they trail by two scores at some point in the first three quarters. It takes patience.

The key numbers:

• In the 65-game Mahomes era, opponents are 12-3 when they run on at least 49 percent of their snaps — and 3-47 when they don’t reach that mark. One of the three teams that lost to the Chiefs running that often was the Broncos last year, who ran on 54 percent of their plays, but fell, 22-16.
• 35 is a magic number: Teams are 9-4 against the Chiefs in the Mahomes era when they run at least 35 teams — and 6-46 when they don’t reach that mark.
• It’s not about average per rush, but frequency. Teams that average at least 5.00 yards per attempt against the Chiefs in the Mahomes era are just 2-24.
• To no one’s surprise, Kansas City is 26-1 when running more than 25 times in Mahomes’ starts.

KEEP THE BALL!

• Long drives and deliberate pace can be kryptonite for the Chiefs in the Mahomes era. Kansas City is 3-9 in Mahomes’ starts when the team fails to hold the ball for at least 26 minutes, compared with 47-6 when they reach that mark.
• Avoiding turnovers also helps, obviously. Kansas City is 25-3 in the Mahomes era when it has a positive turnover margin and 16-4 when it is even, but is just 9-8 when the opponent has the positive turnover margin — and 1-6 when that margin is 2 or more against the Chiefs.

MISCELLANY:

• Fast starts help, but they’re not everything. Teams that score at least seven points in the first quarter against the Chiefs in the Mahomes era are 10-16. That isn’t great, but it’s better than the 2-15 mark they have when scoring 3 to 6 points in the first 15 minutes and a 3-19 ledger when being shut out in the first quarter.
• Kansas City is 8-2 in the Mahomes era when trailing by seven or more points after one quarter.
• The Chiefs have never lost a Mahomes start when posting a halftime lead of more than seven points; they’re 26-0 with himwhen they do. Conversely, when they trail by more than seven points at the midway point with Mahomes starting, they’re 2-7. For the games that are seven points either way at halftime, the Chiefs are 22-8.
• Still, you want to be well into double digits by halftime against the Chiefs. Teams that score 10 or fewer points in the first half are 1-35 against the Chiefs in Mahomes’ starts. And if you get to at least 23 points after three quarters against the Chiefs, you can expect to win 71 percent of the time … evidenced by the 10-4 mark posted by teams who get to 23 points in the game’s first 45 minutes.
• Kansas City is 29-5 when Mahomes accounts for no giveaways.