Broncos scrape by depleted Chiefs, but quarterback Bo Nix's 'C' performance reveals concerning offensive struggles heading into playoffs.
It was yet another game in 2025 for the Denver Broncos in which they let a much weaker opposition get far too close to stealing a win, this time as the season comes to its conclusion. They pulled out the 20-13 win against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day in their Week 17 matchup, but it wasn’t a performance that instilled tons of hope in their chances in the playoffs.
Forced to go with its third-string quarterback and without many of its key players, Kansas City should have had no chance against the 12-3 Broncos heading into the game. Still, the Denver offense struggled to show up on Thursday, especially at the start.
Heading into halftime with just two field goals to show for 30 minutes of action isn’t what Denver fans wanted to see against their battered division rivals. Luckily, the Broncos scored twice in the second half to get the win, allowing them to stay at the top of the NFL’s standings.
Quarterback Bo Nix wasn’t blameless in the subpar outing in Week 17, as he was given a ‘C’ grade for his work against the Chiefs by Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski.
Nix threw 38 passes against the Kansas City defense, completing an admirable 26 of them. Still, he finished with just 182 passing yards, not enough for an average of five yards per attempt. He also threw one touchdown, one interception, and rushed for 42 yards and an additional touchdown.
It wasn’t a poor game from the second-year quarterback by any means, but it wasn’t the performance many expected from the leader of the league’s top team. Following a week in which he threw for over 350 yards, there was reason to believe the matchup against the Chiefs could produce a similar dominant performance.
It didn’t come, and the Broncos seem to be okay with that, as their one priority – as they’ve reinforced all season long – is to win the game. That’s what Denver had done all season long, against good teams, poor teams, and everybody in between. Like it’s been the case all season, Denver fans are learning it doesn’t always have to be pretty. Sometimes, simply doing enough to get the job done is all you can ask for, and that’s what Nix and the Broncos did on Christmas.
"We just did what we had to do," Nix said after the win.