The Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-13 on Christmas Day. It marked the team’s first win against the Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium since 2015. The Broncos’ performance reflected how the majority of their season has gone, which is games coming down to the wire. 11 of their 13 wins this season have ended in one score.
Here are three takeaways from the Broncos’ most recent game that offer more insight into where the Broncos stand moving forward.
What the Broncos’ performance said about their identity
The Broncos played to their strengths at times, but also showed some weaknesses against the Chiefs, as they didn’t secure a win until the Chiefs failed to score and tie the game in the final moments.
Denver didn’t look like a playoff-caliber team as it struggled against a banged-up Kansas City team, which was without quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew and had many defensive players out.
The Broncos’ effort wasn’t consistent for four quarters, as Bo Nix was inaccurate, leading to Nick Bolton intercepting a pass. Courtland Sutton also had some critical drops, while one of those drops should have been a touchdown. The defense didn’t have a single sack in the first half, initially struggling to stop the run and short passing plays.
This game reinforced what many fans thought the Broncos’ identity was: even though they are winning games, they are still seen by some as a fraudulent team. It’s one thing that they’ve barely beaten some playoff contenders, but a major red flag is that many of their games against teams that aren’t making the playoffs have also gone down to the wire.
Key Players who shaped the outcome
Nix was one player who swung the game’s momentum for the Broncos, scoring a rushing touchdown and throwing a late touchdown pass despite an earlier interception.
A young player who took a step forward for the Broncos was rookie running back RJ Harvey, who ended the game with 76 all-purpose yards while also catching the game-winning touchdown from Nix at the end of the fourth quarter.
Troy Franklin fell short of expectations, catching four passes for 17 yards, fewer receiving yards than his teammate Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Franklin should have had a bigger impact, as he is second on the team in receiving yards, while Pat Bryant was also out.
A moment of leadership that stood out was Garrett Bolles making a great block in the fourth quarter to help Harvey get a first down for the Broncos, as linemen don’t always get credit when big plays happen.
Even though the defense held the Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun to 66 yards passing, they fell short of expectations, failing to produce any turnovers. Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman led the team with 0.5 sacks each, which is very unusual.
It’s also concerning that Kareem Hunt, who’s not even the Chiefs’ starting running back, only ran the ball three times for the Chiefs in the first half, but initially averaged 6.3 yards per carry against Denver. Hunt also had a big run at the end of the game, keeping the Chiefs’ hopes alive of playing spoiler.
What this game means for the Broncos moving forward
This game impacts the Broncos’ short-term outlook because, even though they won another game against a divisional opponent, they will have to beat another divisional opponent, the Los Angeles Chargers, to remain the number one seed in the AFC.
The Broncos are going to need to be a more polished team across the board, as they weren’t always consistent on offense, became predictable on defense, and even allowed a big play on special teams.
In their final regular-season game, fans should expect another close contest. Even though many have doubts about the Broncos, if they play their best game yet, they are more than capable of beating the Chargers.
The narrative around the season hasn’t changed for the Broncos. Even though the majority of games for them have been close against good and bad teams, they’ve proven they know how to win.
The only way things will change for the Broncos is if they lose their final regular-season matchup, which could force them into a wild-card game and potentially lead to a first-round playoff exit.
Main Photo: [Jay Biggerstaff] – Imagn Images