No Way for Elway This Time; Chiefs Win : AFC: Denver quarterback tries, but rally comes up short, as Kansas City locks up first-round bye, 20-17.

KANSAS CITY — Even with a 10-point lead and only 1:52 left, the Kansas City Chiefs still feared John Elway.

But in the final seconds Elway, who has engineered six fourth-quarter rallies over the Chiefs, managed only one touchdown. And the Chiefs (12-3) locked up a first-round playoff bye with a rain-soaked 20-17 victory over their old nemesis and the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

“I kept thinking about one time when he scored twice in the last two minutes to beat us,” said defensive end Neil Smith, who was on the sidelines with a bruised shoulder.

“We’ve learned the hard way you’re never safe when the ball is in John Elway’s hands.”

It wasn’t in Elway’s hands after Darren Mickel knocked it out and tackle Vaughn Booker fell on it, got up and rambled 14 yards to make it 20-10 with 1:52 remaining.

Elway, as if for old times’ sake, did stage a last-second drive, capped by his three-yard touchdown toss to Mike Pritchard.

But the Chiefs got the onside kick to wrap up the victory and virtually eliminate Denver (7-8) from playoff contention.

Kansas City, which already clinched the AFC West crown, can guarantee home-field advantage throughout the playoffs if it beats Seattle at home in the regular-season finale next week or if Pittsburgh (11-4) loses at Green Bay.

“My initial thought was just to get on top of the ball and let the offense move it,” said the 295-pound Booker. “But when I didn’t feel anybody touch me down, I just tried to get up and get as close as I could. I put my Marcus Allen move on one guy.”

Steve Bono, who completed 10 of his first 13 passes, threw for one touchdown and ran for another on the wet afternoon.

Elway came into the game with a career record against Coach Marty Schottenheimer of 11-5, including two dramatic victories over the Schottenheimer-coached Cleveland Browns in AFC title games.

But this year belongs to the Chiefs, who swept the two-game series for the first time since 1980.

“They’ve been uncanny in making plays when they need to,” said Elway, who was 24 for 36 for 242 yards. “They’ve been doing it all year. They make things happen in crucial situations.”