Biggest Winners and Losers from Broncos' Demoralizing Loss to Chiefs

In summarizing the Denver Broncos' lifeless loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Monday's regular-season opener, quarterback Bo Nix put it best: "Pretty pitiful."

Not that Nix is immune to blame or that it was only the offense at fault for the 31-10 defeat at Arrowhead Stadium — nearly everyone is responsible for the result, from those wearing headsets to those under helmets.

Below, we dive into the biggest winner(s) and losers from Denver's Week 1 contest.

Winner: RB RJ Harvey

Whereas virtually every other teammate appeared as if they never got off the bus, Harvey was at least showing fire and want-to throughout the game, recording four catches for 23 yards and rushing three times for 18 yards.

The Broncos arguably went away from their ground game too early, as Nix attempted 28 passes to only 12 totes from Harvey, starter JK Dobbins, and wide receiver Troy Franklin. Rookie RB Jonah Coleman, despite being active, did not receive a carry.

Between his preseason performance and now his Week 1 effort, Harvey is cemented as the No. 2 RB and primary pass-catcher out of the backfield, roles he's unlikely to relinquish in the near future.

Loser: QB Bo Nix

Sep 14, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) drops back to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even the best quarterbacks turn in a stinker every now and then — and this certainly qualified as a stinker for Nix, who completed 17-of-28 pass attempts for 131 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. He also fumbled three times.

To be fair, this shockingly lackluster outing was not solely on Nix, who was under duress all night due to a leaky offensive line, had multiple passes slip through his receivers' hands, and got no favors from first-year offensive coordinator questionable Davis Webb's play selection.

Still, Nix is expected to function as the franchise cornerstone, the proverbial tide that raises all boats. And this, after so long to prepare, simply wasn't good enough. It was, as head coach Sean Payton put it, a "slap in the face."

Winner: P Jeremy Crawshaw

You know it's bad when a punter makes the Good list, but here we are. Reviewing the game objectively, there really aren't that many other qualified candidates.

Called upon six times, Crawshaw averaged 52.3 yards per punt — including a long of 68 yards — while three times pinning Kansas City inside their 20-yard line.

For the most part, the Broncos' special teams operations were solid in Week 1. Too bad the same cannot be said about the other sides of the ball ...

Loser: The Broncos' Defense

Walker vs. Bronco — Sep 14, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III (9) rushes the ball against the Denver Broncos in the first half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It'd be easy to pin the tail on the Alex Singleton, as the one-dimensional linebacker was exposed for being exactly that (and perhaps less, given his continued struggles).

Singleton was one of the primary culprits but was hardly alone in Denver finishing the tilt with a whopping 28 missed tackles, according to Next Gen Stats, which allowed Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker to pop off for 173 rushing yards and a touchdown, averaging a ridiculous 7.5 yards per carry.

As if the Broncos had never played collective team football prior, the result surprised even Payton, who was prepared for Walker to pose a threat — but not that much of a threat.

“The time of possession. We put our defense in some short field. We didn’t tackle well on defense and then the game became one-dimensional," Payton told reporters. "It is really the antithesis of how you beat a good team on the road. It is that simple.”

Loser: The Broncos' Coaching Staff

Aug 21, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb before the preseason game against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Again, it'd be simple to villainize just one individual, Payton in this case. And maybe that's appropriate given that, at the end of the day, this is Payton's team. He has the exact roster he wanted and the coordinators he preferred, not to mention full power and control within the organization.

However, the offense was so horrid that Webb deserves to be called out, if only for the ill-fated decision to go empty-formation on a critical 3rd-and-1 against the Chiefs. The offense finished with its lowest amount of total yards (176) in any game since 2021.

The defense, meanwhile, couldn't get off the field nor pressure a returning Patrick Mahomes, seeing his first action since last year's severe knee injury. This, despite Kansas City starting an undrafted rookie tackle on Mahomes' blindside.

So though it's fair to point fingers at Payton, they need to also be pointed at his subordinates. They all have their fingerprints on this.

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