Chiefs-Broncos Week 17 Live Game Thread

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- To see the live game thread, follow along below...

First quarter

Official kickoff weather: 57 degrees, 99 percent humidity, winds out of the east at 3 mph, blowing left to right on your TV screen.

Denver will get the ball first after Chiefs win toss and defer.

Chiefs stop Broncos in red zone after 13-play drive consuming nearly 8 minutes. Broncos settle for chip-shot FG.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 1 – Wil Lutz 27-yard field goal. Broncos 3, Chiefs 0, 6:58, first quarter. Drive: 14 plays, 56 yards, 8:02.

Jalen Royals makes first NFL start. Chiefs get a couple good runs but Xavier Worthy steps out of bounds on sideline completion and Oladokun off target on third-and-long.

Nix off target now on three important passes, one to end last drive and two to begin this one. Nohl Williams gets good pursuit on scrambling Nix for loss of 2, then unbelievable concentration and effort by Kristian Fulton to tip the pass to Nick Bolton. First down, Chiefs on short field at Broncos’ 35-yard line. Chris Jones got good pressure up the middle to flush Nix.

Travis Kelce extends league's longest active streak of games with reception to 190. Critical third-down connection deep in Denver territory. End of 1Q, Broncos 3, Chiefs 0 but KC is driving.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Broncos 3, Chiefs 0.

First-quarter team stats... pic.twitter.com/ogmKp1HSYm
— Zak Gilbert (@zaksgilbert) December 26, 2025

Second quarter

Chiefs convert fourth-and-1 with Mr. Automatic, Kareem Hunt (assist on nice block by Kelce). Chiefs entered game No. 1 in the league with a 75.86-percent conversion rate on fourth downs. Then, on third-and-goal, Oladokun finds Brashard Smith for touchdown pass. First career touchdown reception for Smith, first career touchdown pass for Oladokun.

Smith ran crossing route and caught Denver LB’s off guard, then broke two tackles to get in end zone.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 2 – Brashard Smith 5-yard touchdown from Chris Oladokun. Chiefs 7, Broncos 3, 12:49, second quarter. Drive: 10 plays, 35 yards, 5:04.

Steve Spagnuolo's unit has allowed 20 points or less in all eight home games this season.

Nix is off target again on deep third-down pass, targeting Courland Sutton for first time. Chiefs force another punt. Brashard Smith returns punt with Nikko Remigio on injured reserve.

Another drop hits Chiefs on second-and-10, this time Worthy. Reid likes what he sees from so far, eschews fourth-down attempt from own 38-yard line for a punt.

Two-minute warning here. Broncos driving, down 7-3. Chiefs get the ball to open second half.

Back-to-back chunk plays for Broncos just after two-minute warning. Then, Chamarri Conner tips pass but Fulton can’t extend to secure interception. On third-and-10 from the Chiefs’ 11, Bryan Cook breaks up touchdown pass in end zone. Broncos have to settle for 30-yard Lutz field goal.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 3 – Wil Lutz 30-yard field goal. Chiefs 7, Broncos 6, 19 seconds, second quarter. Drive: 16 plays, 79 yards, 8:04.

Here's what Spags said this week on Bryan Cook, who broke up that touchdown: "Solid all year long. And listen, he runs the show back there, him and Nick are part of a lot of communication and getting guys on the right page. And I think he's done a really outstanding job tackling. I mean, he's a safety. Can you guys see it? I mean, he'll come up and hit. He's a big guy. I'm really pleased with the solid year that he's had."

HALFTIME – Chiefs 7, Broncos 6. Two big red-zone stops for Chiefs in first half. Chiefs get opening kickoff to begin third quarter.

Another critical red-zone stop for Chiefs, who lead 7-6 at halftime and get ball to begin second half. Halftime team and individual numbers: pic.twitter.com/OJJbSL0RcG
— Zak Gilbert (@zaksgilbert) December 26, 2025

Third quarter

On second snap of half, Oladokun steps up in pocket and rolls left, then drops the ball. Incredible poise to scoop it up and connect with Smith-Schuster into Denver territory for first down. On next snap, quarterback absorbs hit on deep shot to Worthy, who draws pass-interference. But after drive stalls, Harrison Butker connects on huge 50-yard FG.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 4 – Harrison Butker 50-yard field goal. Chiefs 10, Broncos 6, 11:42, third quarter. Drive: Six plays, 28 yards, 3:15.

Fulton and Nohl Williams are playing well in coverage, but Spags won’t be happy with their missed tackles. Concern for Chiefs defense over last two drives: Broncos showing patience in run game, getting quality yards after contact.

At top of route Evan Engram called for offensive pass interference with Bolton guarding, setting up first-and-20, but Nix fires strike to Sutton down left sideline for tight window between Fulton and Cook. But Williams and Fulton make key stops to set up fourth-and-1 from KC 10-yard line. After Nix converts, he makes nice play to drive through Jaden Hicks at goal line for go-ahead touchdown. Broncos converted first-and-20 and second-and-15 on that drive.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 5 – Bo Nix 9-yard TD run. Broncos 13, Chiefs 10, 1:55 third quarter. Drive: 14 plays, 72 yards, 9:47.

END OF THIRD QUARTER: Denver 13, Kansas City 10.

End of 3Q in KC, Denver's up 13-10. Broncos are outgaining Chiefs 233-79. pic.twitter.com/QwxutHYMsE
— Zak Gilbert (@zaksgilbert) December 26, 2025

Fourth quarter

Only second touchback this season in 16 games for Matt Araiza. Had nine last season.

Here's the official Broncos playoff scenario if they wind up in a tie with Chiefs tonight (Denver leads 13-10). Broncos can only clinch AFC West, not No. 1 seed, with tie + LAC loss.

Sack No. 5 for Chris Jones to end Denver drive on third down there, bull rushing Mike McGlinchey off right edge. Sets up 45-yard return by rookie Brashard Smith to set up Chiefs at Denver’s 45-yard line with 10:59 left in regulation.

Great vision and pocket awareness by Oladokun to hit Smith-Schuster for 9 yards on first down. After drive stalls shy of sticks, Butker nails 47-yard game-tying field goal.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 6 – Butker 47-yard game-tying field goal. Broncos 13, Chiefs 13, 8:03 fourth quarter. Drive: six plays, 16 yards, 2:56.

This is the type of drive Spags cares deeply about, holding the opponent without points on the possession immediately following a Chiefs score.

Bolton is injured player but leaves field slowly under own power. Rookie Nohl Williams blows up block for loss of 3 yards. Then, after converting 10 of their first 16 third-down conversions on the night, Denver stopped short of the sticks. On fourth-and-2, two-minute warning.

On fourth-and-2, Denver keeps offense on field from 9-yard line but Broncos get Chris Jones to jump. Doubtful Denver would snap the ball there. First-and-goal Denver.

Time of possession right now is 39:04 Denver, 19:01 Kansas City.

Nix rolls right and finds R.J. Harvey in back corner of end zone. The 1 -yard touchdown strike gives Denver the lead again.

SCORING UPDATE NO. 7 – Bo Nix 1-yard touchdown pass to R.J. Harvey. Broncos 20, Chiefs 13, 1:45 fourth quarter. Drive: 14 plays, 65 yards, 6:18.

Chiefs need touchdown with one timeout, 65 yards from end zone and 1:45 remaining. Denver up 20-13. Oladokun quickly hits Kelce on consecutive receptions before Chiefs burn final timeout. Third-and-1 from Chiefs’ 44-yard line, 1:17 remaining.

First-down run by Kareem Hunt (14 yards to Broncos’ 42). Talanoa Hufanga is injured player, forcing Denver to take final timeout.

Kelce again for 14 yards and Oladokun scrambles for 7, but neither able to get out of bounds. Chiefs spike ball with 25 seconds at the Broncos’ 21. Oladokun can’t get snap off and takes delay of game. On third-and-8 from 26, Oladokun can’t complete pass to Kelce.

On fourth down, Hollywood Brown skies for touchdown but appears to jump late. Incomplete. Broncos will run out clock. Would’ve been tough completion through tight window in back of end zone.

FINAL SCORE: Broncos 20, Chiefs 13.

Final team and individual statistics: pic.twitter.com/4k0HFhaccg
— Zak Gilbert (@zaksgilbert) December 26, 2025

travis kelc — Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) catches the ball in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Pregame

Fittingly, the forecast in Western Missouri calls for a bit of a wet Christmas, a light mist and its partner, fog, having hung in the air for much of the week. Fans have shed a few tears this month. First, they lost Patrick Mahomes to a heartbreaking knee injury.

Then, on Monday, they lost their stadium when the Chiefs announced they were moving across the border to Kansas, where they’ll build a $3 billion state-of-the-art home in time for 2031.

Wins will heal wounds, as they often do in the NFL. But to get there, the Chiefs will need a Christmas miracle to beat their AFC rival Denver.

Third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun -- without top wide receiver Rashee Rice, protected by fifth- and sixth-string offensive tackles and complemented by a defense now devoid of both starting cornerbacks – is in for a challenge.

But Andy Reid over 27 years as an NFL head coach has perfected the process of preparing quarterbacks for spot duty.

“He prepares himself every week to go,” Reid said Tuesday, referring to Oladokun. “So that's been an easy transition, as far as with the verbiage and such. So, he jumps in and gets it. He sits behind the offensive drill there, and they mock it. The two quarterbacks -- I have quarterbacks mock it as if they're in -- they make the calls. And then go about it, so they stay fresh on that. He's in a pretty good position.”

Before Oladokun takes his position on Christmas night, a few appetizers…

First quarter

Second quarter

Third quarter

Fourth quarter

Pregame

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