Broncos officially end Chiefs' reign as AFC West champs with Chargers' loss to Texans

The Denver Broncos officially ended the Kansas City Chiefs’ reign connected apical of the AFC West connected Saturday arsenic the Houston Texans topped the Los Angeles Chargers, 20-16.

The Broncos pulled retired a triumph implicit the Chiefs connected Thursday nighttime and received the bonus acquisition of a Chargers loss. It’s Denver’s archetypal part rubric since the 2015 season, which is besides the past clip the squad won the Super Bowl.

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Denver Broncos backmost Bo Nix rolls retired looking to walk against the Kansas City Chiefs during the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot crippled Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, successful Kansas City, Missouri. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City had won the part rubric each twelvemonth since the 2016 play erstwhile Alex Smith was inactive the starting quarterback. As Smith passed the torch to Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ winning ways continued. This year, the Chiefs looked retired of sorts connected some sides of the ball. Injuries had a batch to bash with it arsenic good arsenic Kansas City failing to triumph adjacent games. The squad dropped to 6-10 with their nonaccomplishment to Denver.

The Texans stayed successful contention for the AFC South rubric with the win. C.J. Stroud had 2 large touchdown passes successful the archetypal 4th – a 75-yarder to Jayden Higgins and a 43-yarder to Jaylin Noel.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Jayden Higgins, left, celebrates his touchdown with wide receiver Nico Collins during the archetypal fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Los Angeles Chargers Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, successful Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Houston’s defence was capable to stymie Justin Herbert capable to triumph the game. Herbert threw an interception astatine the extremity enactment successful the 2nd 4th to extremity their threat. When Los Angeles forced a turnover connected the consequent Houston drive, the Chargers failed to get points connected the committee again aft Cameron Dicker missed a tract extremity try.

The Chargers made it a crippled successful the 2nd fractional erstwhile Herbert threw a touchdown walk to Oronde Gadsden successful the 3rd 4th and Omarion Hampton uncovering the extremity portion connected a 5-yard touchdown scamper successful the fourth. The Chargers ne'er got the shot backmost aft the Hampton score.

Herbert was 21-of-32 with 236 passing yards and an interception. He was sacked 5 times.

Stroud was 16-of-28 with 244 yards, 2 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions.

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Houston’s triumph besides meant that the Indianapolis Colts were eliminated from playoff contention. The Colts started the play 7-1, but haven’t won a crippled since Daniel Jones went down with a season-ending Achilles injury.

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