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Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) in the fourth quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Good, Bad, & Ugly From Broncos' Epic Win Over Chiefs

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Dylan Von Arx | Last updated Nov 17, 2025 4:10 PM ET

The Denver Broncos vanquished the Kansas City Chiefs 22-19 on a last-second Wil Lutz field goal, giving them a 9-2 record and a vice grip on the AFC West. The Broncos' defense was dominant, Bo Nix had his most complete performance, and the special teams were special, all while missing Patrick Surtain II, J.K. Dobbins, and Alex Singleton.

There was some bad and certainly some ugly in this matchup, but let’s start with highlighting a certain defensive back who's too often overlooked when combing over the rest of this A+ Broncos defense.

The Good: Ja’Quan McMillian is McMoney

The Broncos' defense and the stadium’s fanatical roar put a level of pressure on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense that they aren’t accustomed to, leading to confusion throughout the game. McMillian, the biggest contributor and unsung hero of this defense, disrupted passes, picked one off, and put Mahomes in the dirt twice.

McMillian’s first sack came on 4th-&-6, ending the half, and his second came with just under four minutes left in the game on 3rd-&-10, pushing Mahomes off the field for the last time, and giving Nix and the offense the ball back to ultimately win the game.

McMillian's interception came at the Broncos’ 21-yard line, preventing the Chiefs from taking the lead. Surtain and Talanoa Hufanga get all the love in the secondary, but McMillian deserves his flowers for not just this game but his entire season.

The Bad: Troy Franklin's Drops Persist

Before I tear into Franklin a bit, he did have two clutch catches that helped the Broncos get into scoring distance. However, his inconsistent hands cannot be ignored, as he dropped two passes that would’ve been substantial gains for the Broncos.

On a day when Nix is dialed in, you can’t have receivers dropping passes, hitting them directly in the hands, and Franklin has struggled in that department all season. Franklin’s struggles don’t mean he shouldn’t have a role on this team, but perhaps he should be the No. 4 behind Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and the rookie Pat Bryant.

The Ugly: Riley Moss Gets Handsy

Moss has had a great 2025 season thus far, despite occasional hiccups and unfavorable referee calls. Unfortunately, his outing against the Chiefs was one he’ll want to forget after getting flagged for pass interference twice for 40 and 47 yards, respectively.

Moss was also flagged for illegal contact on Hollywood Brown, negating a Jahdae Barron pick-six. Moss has been unfairly picked on by the refs in the past, but against the Chiefs, he couldn’t keep his hands off receivers, and knowing how critical the zebras already are of him, he needs to be less grab-happy.

The Takeaway

The Broncos won their biggest game since Super Bowl 50, pushing them to 9-2 and keeping them at the top of the division with a two-game lead, effectively ending the Chiefs’ nine-year run as AFC West champions. The Broncos' defense is the best in the NFL, and if Nix can play like a top-15 quarterback and make six to eight big plays per game, this team can beat anyone.