Nix's late TD pass and stand by
Broncos defense finishes off 20-13 win over Chiefs
[December 26, 2025]
By DAVE SKRETTA
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Broncos coach Sean Payton sent his offense
back onto the field on fourth down Thursday night, the ball inside
the Kansas City Chiefs' 10-yard line and less than 2 minutes left on
the clock — and no intention of ever snapping it.
Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones didn't know that. And when he
jumped, and the offsides penalty gave Denver a fresh set of down, Bo
Nix needed a mere three more plays to hit R.J. Harvey with the
go-ahead touchdown pass in a 20-13 victory Thursday night.
One secured when the Broncos made one last stop in the closing
second at their end of the field.
“We were going to take the delay-of-game,” Payton said afterward.
“Obviously that changed the complexion of the clock, and that was a
big play. We were going to take the penalty and kick the field goal.
That was the plan.”
Now, the Broncos (13-3) are one step closer to locking up the AFC
West, which they can do while watching at home if Houston beats the
Chargers on Saturday. They also have a chance to still land the No.
1 seed and first-round playoff bye.
“It would be relaxing,” Payton said of clinching this weekend. “It
would be nice.”
Nix also ran for a touchdown while throwing for 182 yards as the
Broncos beat the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium for the first time
since September 17, 2015. They also have won four of the last five
in the series following a string of 16 consecutive losses.
“It's great to get that win," Payton said. “You always have to
remember this: You're playing the heart of a champion, Andy Reid and
this team. I don't care who comes out of that locker room. This is a
team that basically has been at the top of our league for the better
part of this century, and there's a ton of respect we have for what
they've been able to accomplish.”
Third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun and tight end Travis Kelce
tried to give Kansas City a chance in the final seconds, driving
quickly down field after the Broncos had taken the lead. But a
third-down pass at the Denver 26 was just out of Kelce's reach, and
Oladokun overthrew Marquise Brown in the end zone on fourth down to
seal the outcome.
The Chiefs (6-10) were missing Patrick Mahomes and backup
quarterback Gardner Minshew, both of whom tore ligaments in their
knees in back-to-back weeks, and were left to watch the game
together from a suite. They also were missing Rashee Rice and
several players on both sides of the ball that had been so crucial
to their three straight Super Bowl trips.
Oladokun wound up with 66 yards passing. Kelce had five catches for
36 of those yards in what might have been the last game played by
the Pro Bowl tight end at Arrowhead Stadium — he plans to announce
soon after the season whether he is retiring.
“I’ll let that be a decision I’ll make with my family, friends, the
Chiefs organization when the time comes," Kelce said.
The Broncos were nearly two-touchdown favorites, according to BetMGM,
yet the Chiefs may have been inspired by hearing about the Vikings,
who earlier in the day knocked off the favored Lions behind their
defense and their own third-string quarterback.
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Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (38) rushes for a
first down as Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Ashton Gillotte (97)
tries to stop him during the first half of an NFL football game
Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
After giving up a grinding, 14-play drive that
soaked up more than half the first quarter and net the Broncos a
field goal, Kansas City allowed little else through the first 30
minutes. And along the way, a defense put its top two cornerbacks on
injured reserve this week managed to pick off Nix, setting up a
short field that Oladokun converted into his first career touchdown
throw.
It also happened to be Brashard Smith's first career touchdown
catch.
The Broncos tried to answer with another 8-plus minute drive late in
the half, but Courtland Sutton dropped a would-be touchdown toss in
the closing seconds, and Wil Lutz had to kick his second chip-shot
field goal to make it 7-6 at the break.
Denver finally got one of its long, time-consuming drives into the
end zone in the third quarter, though. The Chiefs had pushed the
lead to 10-6 when the Broncos churned through 72 yards in nearly 10
minutes, and Nix finished by scrambling nine yards for the score.
And the inability of the Kansas City offense to do much of anything
was its undoing.
The Chiefs managed just 16 yards on their first three possessions of
the second half, and that gave the Broncos a chance. They drove 65
yards late in the fourth quarter, twice converting on third down and
then getting a fourth-down gift when Jones went early inside the
10-yard line, allowing Nix to find Harvey in the back of the end
zone for the eventual winning score.
“We just did what we had to do,” Nix said.
Injuries
Broncos: C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) was placed on injured reserve
earlier in the day.
Chiefs: WR Nikko Remigio (knee) was placed on IR. OL Jaylon Moore
(knee) and DT Derrick Nnadi (illness) were inactive.
Up next
Denver wraps up the regular season next week against the Chargers.
Kansas City finishes its season next week in Las Vegas.
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