Broncos Player Grades from Unbelievable Loss to Chiefs

The postmortem continues on the Denver Broncos' most disappointing loss of the season.

Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) runs the ball against Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos' last-second loss to the Kansas City Chiefs downgraded their playoff position, even with eight games left. According to the New York Times' playoff probability model, the Broncos have a 27% chance of making the postseason, while the Washington Post gives them a 32% chance.

Had the Broncos managed to win, their probability of making the playoffs would have been around 75%.

The Broncos played a solid game at Arrowhead Stadium, but there were still many issues. The Broncos need more consistency in their offense, and one of the points of emphasis for this game was to finish, and it's still a priority, obviously. 

With that said, how did the individual players grade out in Kansas City? Let’s jump into the player grades. 

Quarterback

• Bo Nix | Grade: 68.1

This was a good game from Nix, who made some big plays when needed. There are still issues with his footwork and how he reacts to his first read being covered, but he continues to grow and develop in those areas. 

Running Back

• Audric Estime | Grade: 61.4

Estime ran hard and showed more burst than Javonte Williams or Jaleel McLaughlin. Williams hasn't come close to Estime's level of burst all season.

While he had a 3.8-yard per-carry average, Estime averaged 4.5 yards per carry before the Broncos went to run-out-the-clock mode at the end, where he had four yards on three carries. Best of all, no fumbles. 

Wide Receivers

• Devaughn Vele | Grade: 65.3

• Troy Franklin | Grade: 62.7

• Courtland Sutton | Grade: 61.2

• Lil’Jordan Humphrey | Grade: 59.8

The four Broncos receivers, especially Vele and Sutton, played well and made plays when called upon. While Franklin had one catch for nine yards, he ran some of his best routes of the season and did better as a blocker. Humphrey is a solid depth guy who should see less time on the field as Vele and Franklin step up. 

Tight Ends

• Adam Trautman | Grade: 53.5

• Nate Adkins | Grade: 46.3

Trautman had a great play, which kept his grade above 50. Other than that, the Broncos' tight ends played poorly in this one, and they continue to show that the Broncos need to add to the room in the offseason. 

Offensive Tackles

• Garett Bolles | Grade: 70.4

• Mike McGlinchey | Grade: 57.3

The Broncos need an extension with Bolles before the season ends. He's been good this season, and while there have been some issues, his positive play has vastly outweighed it. McGlinchey was hit or miss in the one, especially as a run blocker. 

Interior O-Line

• Luke Wattenberg | Grade: 63.6

• Quinn Meinerz | Grade: 60.4

• Ben Powers | Grade: 44.2

Wattenberg was inserted back into the lineup, and things started well for the interior. Eventually, Powers struggled against Chris Jones, which led to a rough game overall. When Jones went against someone else, Powers did a good job handling his matchup. 

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Defensive Line

• John Franklin-Myers | Grade: 71.9

• Zach Allen | Grade: 65.3

• Malcolm Roach | Grade: 61.3

• D.J. Jones | Grade: 68.5

The Broncos' defensive line did well against one of the toughest matchups it will face this season. The Chiefs' interior offensive line is one of the best in the NFL, and the Broncos managed to control the trenches for most of the game. Each of these four players played a good match, if not a great game. 

Outside Linebackers

• Nik Bonitto | Grade: 70.8

• Jonathon Cooper | Grade: 71.5

• Dondrea Tillman | Grade:  62.9

• Jonah Elliss | Grade: 47.1

There was pressure on the room to step up after trading Baron Browning, and the Broncos answered the call, for the most part. Bonitto and Cooper had an excellent game, with the former being a force as a pass rusher and the latter standing out as a run defender on almost every snap.

Even Tillman stepped up and contributed as a pass rusher and run defender. Elliss was the only one who struggled in the group, which came in all phases. 

Linebackers

• Justin Strnad | Grade: 67,5

• Cody Barton | Grade: 57.2

Strnad continues to be a good player for this defense and shows up in all phases. While Barton had some good moments as a run defender, he was problematic in coverage against the Chiefs' tight ends and running backs. 

Cornerbacks

• Patrick Surtain II |  Grade: 67.8

• Riley Moss | Grade: 53.1

• Ja’Quan McMillian | Grade: 51.7 

Surtain had an excellent game shutting down another good receiver, where he allowed only three catches for 18 yards as the nearest defender. Moss and McMillian both allowed 47 yards on four catches, and McMillian added a touchdown on a play where he tripped. 

Safeties

• Brandon Jones | Grade: 48.6

• P.J. Locke | Grade: 45.2

The safeties were in a rough spot against the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes and the offensive play designs put safeties in a rough spot almost every game. Unsurprisingly, both players struggled, especially Locke, who was returning from missing some time due to an injury. 

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