The Good, Bad, & Ugly From Broncos' 20-13 Win Over Chiefs

As we continue sifting through the aftermath of the Denver Broncos' 13th win of the season, it's time to chronicle the good, bad, and ugly from Christmas Night.

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun (19) throws against Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos capped off Christmas with a 20-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, putting them at 13-3 on the season. The Broncos were a 13.5-point favorite in what was expected to be a blowout, but the Thursday night affair turned into a close matchup against the Chiefs’ third-string quarterback, Chris Oladokun, who was making his first start.

Every week, we hear that “a win is a win,” and while it's true, Denver has plenty to clean up before the playoffs arrive in two weeks. Let’s dissect the good, bad, and downright ugly from the Broncos' Christmas contest, starting with quarterback Bo Nix’s performance. 

The Good: Nix Does Enough

Nix’s stats from Thursday night aren’t eye-popping; he dragged the Broncos to another win in the second half after being down 7-6. He started the first half noticeably shaky with his footwork out of whack, leading to some errant passes.

However, in the second half, Nix directed traffic in the red zone to zip a touchdown pass to RJ Harvey and masterfully weaved past the defense on his nine-yard touchdown run. Nix has proven that he can make magic happen in the second half of games, and he’ll need to channel that next week against the Los Angeles Chargers to secure the first seed. 

The Bad: Defensive Effort

While the Broncos’ defense held the Chiefs to 13 points, it didn’t completely take over the game as expected. The tackling effort again was abysmal, leading to offensive gains that could’ve been snuffed out from the start.

Oladokun made his first start and largely looked calm in the pocket, even when he was flushed out of it. This Broncos’ defense, which is supposed to be a dominant force when it comes to sacking the quarterback, managed only one sack despite the Chiefs starting their third- and fourth-string offensive tackles.

Nik Bonitto was M.I.A. at Arrowhead Stadium, while Jonathon Cooper’s impact has been zero post-bye. This isn’t to say the Broncos didn’t play well defensively, as they only surrendered 139 total yards and 13 points, but they couldn’t force a single turnover and let a third-string quarterback escape sacks consistently.

The Broncos' defense must impose its will going forward when the competition is significantly better.

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The Ugly: Drops, Drops, Drops

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) can’t hold on to a pass as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Kristian Fulton (8) makes the tackle in the endzone during the second quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Broncos are already hamstrung by a lack of offensive playmakers, and Courtland Sutton, unfortunately, failed to come through for Nix on Thursday. Sutton is supposed to be the Broncos’ best option in the passing game, but he’s dropped three passes against the Chiefs in crucial situations.

One came on a crucial third down in the first half, and the worst came on a would-be touchdown pass that would have given Denver the lead. The ball was knocked loose by a defender, but Sutton has to be better at securing it, whether someone is trying to punch it out or not.

Sutton is known for making some of the most improbable catches fans have ever seen, but he also drops some easy ones. He simply has to be better than he was against the Chiefs if this team is to move the ball consistently. 

The Takeaway

The Broncos are the kings of making things harder than they need to be in 2025, which is a scary trend heading into the playoffs. The Broncos could easily make the Super Bowl or be bounced in the first round with how volatile they play on both sides of the ball.

The Broncos must defeat the Chargers next week to wrap up the No. 1 playoff seed and give themselves the best chance to win in the postseason. Denver can’t just beat the Chargers, but make a statement in the process by reminding them what level its defense can play to and how electric its second-year quarterback is in the clutch.