As the Denver Broncos took on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 17, quarterback Bo Nix once again rose to the moment and proved he’s ready for bigger challenges. Facing the Chiefs’ third-string quarterback, Nix led Denver to a 20–13 win to secure the team’s 13th victory of the season. Then, after the game, as the conversation turned to the Week 18 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, Nix did not shy away from the upcoming challenge.

“At the end of the day, it’s going to come down to us vs them,” Nix said in the presser after the Week 17 game. “We’re excited to have them at home. I haven’t beaten them. Going to be a good nine days of preparation.

“We’re excited about it,” Nix added.

The 13-3 Broncos already clinched a playoff spot by beating the Green Bay Packers in Week 15. But a Week 18 win would secure the AFC West title and the No. 1 seed. Standing in the way are the 11-4 Chargers, who still have business to handle this week. That reality sets up a dramatic division clash between the Broncos and the Chargers to close the regular season. With that in mind, Bo Nix’s four-word message now sends a clear signal to the Chargers. 

But history hasn’t been kind to Bo Nix against the Chargers. He holds a 0-3 record against the Chargers. Meanwhile, since Jim Harbaugh took over as the head coach of the Chargers in 2024, the Broncos have also not beaten them. Even more frustrating? All three losses that the Broncos faced against the Chargers since 2024 have been one-possession games. 

Earlier this season, the Chargers also edged past the Broncos 23-20 with a 43-yard field goal as time expired in the Week 3 game. At the time, the Broncos fell to 1-2, and head coach Sean Payton also criticized Nix’s offense for costly mistakes. Now, with everything on the line, Nix has a chance to flip the script and earn his first win against this familiar foe. And while Nix admitted the challenge won’t be easy, he’s clearly open to it.

But Denver also had to grind through another division test this week. The Chiefs were already out of playoff contention, while their star QB, Patrick Mahomes, has been ruled out for the season after surgery. Still, they pushed the Week 17 game against the Broncos deep into the fourth quarter. 

Kansas City even led 7-6 at halftime and went up by four early in the second half of the game. Should that be a concern for the Broncos? Maybe, but so far this season, Payton has not been bothered by having such close games because when the game tightened late, Nix again took control. 

The Broncos’ QB led a methodical 14-play, 65-yard drive that burned more than six minutes off the clock in the fourth quarter of the Week 17 game. After that, he also connected with running back RJ Harvey for the go-ahead touchdown. Denver’s defense then closed it out, sealing the 20-13 win.

As such, Bo Nix then turned his focus fully toward locking up the AFC’s top seed and a first-round bye. His calm confidence mirrored that of his head coach, who will be quietly watching how things unfold elsewhere, especially with Houston.

Sean Payton shares his thoughts on the Chargers vs Texans matchup this week 

After the Broncos recorded their 13th win this season, all they need is either one more win or one Chargers loss to clinch the AFC West crown for the first time since 2015. So, if the Houston Texans defeat the Chargers this week, the Broncos will win the division immediately. But as Sean Payton addressed the importance of the Texans’ matchup with the Chargers, his response revealed a laid-back attitude.

“He [Joe Lombardi] spoke to the team last night, and he went on and on about clinching tonight, and no one has said anything,” Payton said in a presser after the Week 17 game. “And I’m just thinking, come on Joe, and obviously, everyone kind of knows.”

Then, as reporters questioned Payton whether he would watch the Chargers’ Week 17 game on Saturday, he quickly denied. 

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“No, I’ll be relaxing,” he said. “It’ll be nice. Yeah, I won’t be watching the other games, you know I don’t.”

So, Payton’s relaxed tone suggested confidence – but nothing is guaranteed for the Broncos yet. A Chargers win this week would push everything to Week 18. Then, if the Broncos lose that game, they could slip into the playoffs as a wild-card team. But for now, all Bo Nix and Co. can do is hope to win the next game. And if Houston defeats the Chargers this week, the road to the playoffs could run straight through Mile High – a place where Denver has thrived all season.