The Denver Broncos came into Sunday knowing they controlled their own playoff destiny, and with the Kansas City Chiefs missing their starters, all signs pointed to them getting the job done at home.
Bo Nix did more than just secure the victory. He threw for four touchdowns in a 38-0 rout of the Chiefs to earn seventh place in the AFC. With that, the Broncos are the last NFL team to earn a playoff spot.
While Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and more watched from the sideline in what will be almost a month off when they can finally play again as the AFC’s No. 1 seed, Nix was going to work right away against a Chiefs defense that He also had key players on the bench.
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Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton makes a catch on Sunday. (Images by Ron Chenoy-Imagn)
The Broncos needed just six plays to go 70 yards when Marvin Mims Jr. scored the first touchdown of the game on a perfectly executed screen play for 32 yards to make the score 7-0 from the start.
What followed were two more touchdown drives to make it the third straight touchdown for Nix, who found Courtland Sutton from 10 yards out and then led an 11-minute drive that was capped by Devaughn Vele somehow catching a tipped pass for a three-yard score. . It came on play 18 of the series and made the score 21-0.
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Meanwhile, Carson Wentz, starting in place of Mahomes, couldn’t get anything done against a stingy Broncos defense that forced two 3-pointers to start the game. Then, after gaining some yards, the Chiefs missed a field goal from 51 yards out when Harrison Butker went wide left.
That was the closest the Chiefs came to scoring points. They punted, punted, turned the ball over, punted in the second half.
Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Carson Wentz in the second quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. (Images by Ron Chenoy-Imagn)
On the other hand, Nix wasn’t done putting points on the board, and it came in the form of another Mims touchdown, this time from seven yards away.
To add to their lead, the Broncos had Audric Estime run in from a yard out to cap a victory that sent the Mile High crowd into a frenzy, knowing they had finally clinched a playoff spot.
In the box score, Nix was an impressive 26-of-29 for 321 yards with his four touchdown passes, and his top target was someone with one of those Week 18 incentives.
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is shown during the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High. (Images by Ron Chenoy-Imagn)
Sutton needed 82 receiving yards to cash in on a $2 million incentive, and he did so by finishing with 98 on five catches, including a 47-yard bomb from Nix as his first reception of the game.
Nix also led the Broncos in rushing with 47 yards on seven carries.
