Broncos' Bo Nix didn’t throw a touchdown pass against the Kansas City Chiefs, but he still outdueled Patrick Mahomes and pushed the Denver team into a different tier of AFC contenders.
The rookie calmly directed an eight-game winning streak to 9-2 with a late, precision strike to Troy Franklin that set up Wil Lutz’s walk-off field goal in a 22-19 thriller at Mile High. Denver now sits alone atop the AFC West and, for the moment, atop the entire AFC playoff picture, turning what used to be a one-sided rivalry into a very real divisional power shift.
From the field level, ESPN reported that nobody on the Broncos’ sideline dared relax until Lutz’s kick split the uprights. The Chiefs still carry that “don’t give them a crack” aura, but for four quarters, Denver simply looked like the better team, even without Defensive Player of the Year candidate Pat Surtain II and leading tackler Alex Singleton.
Despite those absences, the Broncos’ defense suffocated Mahomes and company, leaning on depth that defensive lineman Zach Allen praised as “confident in whoever we put out there.” With Vance Joseph dialing it up and a core that has now lived in his system for three seasons, Allen called his coordinator the ultimate professional and one of the most consistent voices in the building.
The numbers back it up: Denver has piled up 49 sacks and completely flipped its late-game profile, going from 1-6 in one-score games last year to 7-2 this season, good enough to sit as the projected AFC 1-seed heading into the Week 12 bye.
On the other sideline, Kansas City’s self-inflicted errors told the story. Mahomes missed throws, the offense stalled with penalties and red-zone mistakes, and a usually sharp operation under Andy Reid never found rhythm. A team once assumed to cruise to a 10th straight AFC West crown suddenly looks vulnerable.
For Denver, though, the takeaway shows that this wasn’t a fluke. Nix’s poise, Joseph’s defense, and a deep, detailed roster have the Broncos believing they can finally knock the Chiefs off their divisional throne.
