Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos survived a tough test in Kansas City on Christmas Day to maintain control of the AFC West.
The playoff-bound Broncos pulled off a 20-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, finishing a three-game Christmas slate for the NFL. The victory improved Denver’s record to 13-3, putting them on track to win the division for the first time since 2015, the last season they claimed the Super Bowl. It also kept them ahead of the New England Patriots for the top seed in the AFC playoffs.
The Broncos faced backup quarterback Chris Oladokun, making his first career start after Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew suffered season-ending knee injuries. The Chiefs, already out of playoff contention for the first time since 2014, had little to play for.
Oladokun, though limited to five passes for 27 yards in the first half, avoided big mistakes. He threw a 5-yard touchdown to Brashard Smith early in the second quarter. Several strong defensive stops allowed Kansas City to hold a 7-6 lead at halftime. Denver had to settle for two field goals as their drives stalled.
The Broncos regained the lead with a long, 14-play drive that lasted almost 10 minutes in the third quarter. Nix scrambled nine yards into the end zone for a touchdown. By then, Denver had controlled more than double the Chiefs’ time of possession.
Kansas City tied the game early in the fourth quarter when Harrison Butker hit a 47-yard field goal.
Denver responded by running down most of the remaining clock. Inside the two-minute warning, they nearly had to settle for a short field goal. However, a Chiefs offsides penalty on fourth down gave them a fresh set of downs. Nix completed the drive by finding RJ Harvey in the back of the end zone, giving the Broncos a lead they would not relinquish.
Despite Oladokun moving the Chiefs deep into Denver territory with multiple passes to Travis Kelce, the Broncos defense held firm for one final stop to seal the victory.
Nix finished 26-of-38 passing for 182 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He and Harvey each rushed for 43 yards. Courtland Sutton led Denver through the air with 40 yards on four receptions.
For the Chiefs, Oladokun went 13-of-22 passing for 66 yards with a touchdown. Kareem Hunt ran for 38 yards on seven carries, and Kelce had 36 yards on five receptions, in what may have been his final home game before retirement. Kansas City fell to 6-10 and lost their fifth straight game.
The Broncos now wait for other results to see if they can clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC. They will secure the AFC West title if the Houston Texans defeat the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday. If not, the division race will be decided in Denver next weekend when Denver faces the Chargers.
While Denver’s offense was not at its best against the Chiefs, the team got the job done when it mattered most. With playoff seeding on the line, the victory keeps the Broncos firmly in control of their postseason destiny.
