The Denver Broncos (10-7) defeated the Kansas City Chiefs (15-2) in a 38-0 blowout on Sunday, ending the team’s eight-season postseason drought. Kansas City already had the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed secured before Week 18, so the Chiefs rested several key starters against Denver.
The Broncos have now clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2015 when they won Super Bowl 50 with Peyton Manning under center. Thirteen quarterbacks later, Denver now returns to the postseason in Sean Payton’s second year on the job.
Sunday’s victory marked the team’s first shutout since a 26-0 win over the New York Jets at home in 2021.
The Broncos got off to a hot start, going 70 yards on the game’s opening drive to take a 7-0 lead on quarterback Bo Nix’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Mims on a trick play.
We told ya, he’s fast. 💨
📺: CBS | @marvindmims pic.twitter.com/8fNqvTk824
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 5, 2025
Denver went 85 yards on its second drive and extended the lead to 14-0 following Nix’s 10-yard touchdown pass to receiver Courtland Sutton.
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
📺: CBS
pic.twitter.com/d7otyVFKmZ— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 5, 2025
The Broncos later went 89 yards on their third drive and went up 21-0 after rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele caught a three-yard touchdown on a tipped pass.
“aaaaaand CAUGHT. OH MY GOSH. THE DOUBLE DEFLECTION. AND A DENVER TOUCHDOWN.”
– Jim Nantz on the call for the @Broncos WILD TD pic.twitter.com/LMjTrhDytK
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 5, 2025
Nix started the game a perfect 18-of-18 for 215 yards and three touchdowns before his first incompletion, setting a franchise record for the most consecutive completions to start a game in Broncos history. Nix also set a franchise record with a 89.7% completion rate, breaking a record previously held by Peyton Manning.
After Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker missed a 51-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter, Denver kicker Wil Lutz converted a 33-yarder to give the Broncos a 24-0 lead going into halftime.
Denver made it 31-0 in the third quarter when Nix hit Mims on a seven-yard touchdown pass. Most CBS networks switched to a different game after the Broncos built a 31-point lead.
.@marvindmims in space >>>
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/mZmVfrAjfA
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) January 5, 2025
The Broncos extended the lead to 38-0 in the fourth quarter on Audric Estime’s one-yard touchdown run. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham then replaced Nix on Denver’s next drive and the Broncos held on to win in Andy Reid’s fist-ever shutout loss.
Denver receiver Courtland Sutton finished the game with five receptions for 98 yards, triggering a $500,000 bonus for topping 1,065 yards on the season.
Up next for the Broncos is a road game against the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. The Broncos-Bills game will be televised on CBS at 11:00 a.m. MT on Sunday, Jan. 12.
