3 Harsh Takeaways From Broncos' Close-Call Xmas Win Over Chiefs

The Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs, but not in the way that almost anybody expected. What did we learn?

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The depleted Kansas City Chiefs gave the Denver Broncos a run for their money on Christmas night, but Sean Payton's team — operating (ostensibly) under the just-don't-lose mandate — found a way to get it done. The Patrick Mahomes-less Chiefs tried their hardest to deliver a lump of coal under Broncos Country's Christmas tree, but Denver prevailed 20-13.

The Broncos move to 13-3 on the season, sweeping the Chiefs for the first time since 2014 and winning at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since 2015. Along the way, Bo Nix became the fourth NFL quarterback to pass for 25-plus touchdowns in each of his first two seasons, while Courtland Sutton eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the second straight year.

What did we learn? Let's get to the troubling takeaways from Denver's Christmas Night nailbiter.

Too Many Dropped Passes & Missed Tackles

Once again, the Broncos were plagued by miscues and lapses on both sides of the ball, with multiple drops and missed tackles. One drop took a would-be touchdown off the board, while a litany of missed tackles led to the Chiefs' only touchdown of the night.

The Broncos looked tired out there. The long grind of the season was evident in this team's overall energy and intensity level.

Credit the Chiefs; they played this game like it was their Super Bowl. Andy Reid had his team fired up and ready to defend their home turf against a Broncos team that hadn't won there in over a decade.

And yet, Nix and company found a way to get it done. The Broncos now get a mini-bye before hosting the Los Angeles Chargers in a game that could decide the AFC West crown and the No. 1 playoff seed in the conference.

However, if the Chargers lose to the Houston Texans on Saturday, the Broncos will win the division. Go Texans.

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Injuries Taking a Toll

Dec 25, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Broncos have lost two starters to injured reserve over the past three games. Safety Brandon Jones was placed on IR after Week 15's win over the Green Bay Packers, while center Luke Wattenberg joined him on Thursday, just hours before kickoff.

Adding insult to injury, the Broncos were without linebacker Dre Greenlaw, wide receiver Pat Bryant, and tight end Nate Adkins against the Chiefs. Each player's absence was felt keenly, especially Adkins' blocking ability and Bryant's trusty hands.

That mini-bye is coming at just the right time, but the Broncos won't get Jones, Wattenberg, or running back J.K. Dobbins back until the conference championship game, at soonest, and that's if they make it that deep into the playoffs. Sean Payton and his coaching staff have their work cut out for them.

Defense Was Dominant, So Why the Unsatisfactory Feeling?

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

The Chiefs played their third-string quarterback, Chris Oladokun, and third and fourth-string offensive tackles, and they led for a good chunk of this game. The Broncos gave up a touchdown on a short field, following a Nix interception (see: the missed tackles), and struggled to get home against a surprisingly elusive Oladokun.

However, let's not pretend like the Broncos' defense was terrible on Thursday night. Denver held Kansas City to just 139 total yards, a 36% third-down conversion rate, and just 13 points. Seven of them came of a turnover, too, while another three points were set up by a punk return that gave Oladokun the starting field position in Broncos' territory.

The Broncos' defense did what it had to against a Chiefs team that played with its hair on fire. From a snap-to-snap basis, perhaps the Broncos were a bit unsatisfactory on defense, but it's hard to argue with the final product.

Again, with the nature of how these last few games have shaken out, the short-week road game that coincided with the biggest holiday of the year, and the mounting injury toll, the Broncos could really use a breather. They'll get 10 days to prepare for the Chargers, and if the Broncos can handle their business in the season finale, they'll earn the No. 1 playoff seed and a 14-day gap between games.

At this moment in time, the Broncos still have a lot to play for. But that could shift slightly, depending on the outcome of this weekend's games.

For now, it's time to kick back with the knowledge that the Broncos have punctuated this Christmas week with their 13th victory. It might not have been a blowout, but the Broncos, once again, found a way to get it done in a stadium that's been very unfavorable to them for 10-plus years.