Broncos on the brink of first AFC West title since 2015 after Christmas win in Kansas City

DENVER (AP) — Even after the Denver Broncos clinched a playoff berth earlier this month, coach Sean Payton kept insisting they hadn't accomplished any of their goals, which start with a division title and end with a Super Bowl parade.

They took a big step in that direction with a 20-13 win at Kansas City on Thursday night. Yet, even at 13-3, the Broncos haven't reached any of the goals they outlined in training camp.

That could change Saturday if the Los Angeles Chargers lose at home to the Houston Texans, giving the Broncos their first AFC West title since 2015.

Asked if that would be weird to clinch while sitting on the couch, Broncos coach Sean Payton laughed.

“No,” he said. "It will be relaxing, it will be nice.”

Either way, the Broncos likely will have to beat the Chargers (11-4) at home next weekend for the first time in four tries since Jim Harbaugh took over as LA's coach for Denver to clinch the AFC's No. 1 seed and first-round playoff bye.

A slip-up against the Chargers would send the Broncos tumbling all the way to the fifth spot in the AFC playoff field and put them on the road in the first round.

The Broncos' win at Arrowhead Stadium was their first in Kansas City since Sept. 17, 2015, but that wasn't on their minds.

“No, because those are someone else’s demons,” Payton explained. “I heard that all of the time in New Orleans, ‘You’ve never won a playoff game.' That’s not this team. You can’t fight those other demons.”

Rookie RB RJ Harvey caught a 1-yard touchdown pass with 1:45 left that proved the difference. It was his 12th touchdown. It came after Chris Jones' neutral-zone infraction on fourth-and-2 at the Chiefs 9 when the Broncos were planning to take a delay penalty and kick a field goal to break a 13-all tie.

“It was covered initially, then he climbed. He has receiver skill sets," Payton said. "... I couldn’t see the angle and I heard the cheer. I said, ‘Please tell me that isn’t an interception.' It was loud enough where I didn’t know if it was the Kansas City cheer. Fortunately, it was the Bronco cheer. I am sure it was a heck of a throw and catch.

"To score seven greatly changes the dynamic with their kicker. You know how the kicking game is. You are starting at the 35 average. It greatly changed the outcome of the game, that they needed a touchdown.”

The Broncos could use some help from the Texans. If Houston beats LA on Saturday, Denver has its first division crown in a decade and will get to host a playoff game.

C Alex Forsyth got a game ball after he filled in admirably for starter Luke Wattenberg, who went on IR with a shoulder injury. Last season at Kansas City, Forsyth was bowled over on a blocked field goal as time expired in a 16-14 loss at Arrowhead Stadium.

“I’ll tell you what was pretty impressive: Alex came in and played really well, got a game ball,” Payton said. "It was a tough trip home last year. It’s a little life lesson, for someone like him, to come back in a starting role. That was pretty cool.”

Bo Nix thought so, too.

“I am super happy for him. I would say no one prepares more in this league than he does," Nix said. "I think he is one of the most in-depth preparers I have ever seen. It is awesome to play behind him. I knew coming into this game and he was not going to leave any stone unturned. He prepares like no other, and he does his best to put the team in the best chance of succeeding.

"We all know what happened here last year and how much it hurt him and what it meant to him. It was a God wink that he got to come back here, start and play the full game and get our first win here in a long time. He has earned that, and he is well deserving of that game ball.”

At 13-3, there is not really anybody in Denver whose stock is slipping.

The Broncos are expected to be without Wattenberg for a month.

— 64 sacks by the Broncos this season, breaking the franchise record of 63 set last season.

— 23 wins by Nix is the second-most all-time by a quarterback in his first two years in the NFL. That mark (24) is held by Russell Wilson.

— 5 times Payton has posted a 13-win season, second only to Bill Belichick's seven. Payton did it in 2009, 2011, 2018 and 2019 with New Orleans.

“When I heard that, I had trouble figuring out which were the 13-win teams,” Payton said. "We had some other teams that were 12- or 11-win teams. I have been fortunate to have really good players and real good coaches. Some of them who are right here that have been a part of all of those wins, part of those wins. Obviously, Bill is good company. Let’s keep it going.”

It very well could come down to a winner-take-all showdown against the Chargers next weekend at Empower Field, where the Broncos are 7-1. The division title and, more importantly, the top seed in the AFC, could be at stake depending on the outcomes of the rest of Week 17 this weekend.

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Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, left, throws a touchdown pass as Kansas City Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner defends during the second half of an NFL football game Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, right, talks to Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix following an NFL football game Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton talks to supporters following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix acknowledges supporters following an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton reacts during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Kansas City. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

PHOENIX (AP) — Madison Booker has led Texas' offense all season, so it was little surprise that she hit a jumper less than a minute into the game to give the Longhorns an early two-point lead.

It was the last shot she would make for more than three quarters.

The AP All-America forward missed her next 17 attempts from the field as the Longhorns fell to UCLA 51-44 on Friday night in the national semifinals of the women's Final Four.

Booker recovered somewhat in the final minutes as the Longhorns made a frantic push, contributing a pair of baskets to help cut the deficit to 47-44 with less than 30 seconds remaining. The rally ended when Booker was stuffed by UCLA's 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts on a driving layup with 20 seconds remaining.

After the game, Booker was at a loss to explain why she struggled.

“It did surprise me when I couldn’t get out of my funk because every shot I put up it felt like it was going to be money," Booker said. “I wish a few more fell in, not just for me but for my teammates, too.”

Trailing 49-44 in the final seconds, Booker slipped and fell to the ground while trying to make a play, ending a night to forget. She finished 3 of 23 from the field, missing all four of her 3-point attempts, and had six points. She came into the game averaging more than 19 points per game on 52.3% shooting.

UCLA guard Gianna Kneepkens played with Booker on Team USA and said she's “an incredible player." She praised her Bruins teammates for doing a good job defensively.

“She can hit those,” Kneepkens said of Booker. “I think we kind of pushed her out a little bit farther and made those very difficult for her.”

It's the second straight year Booker's season has ended with a disappointing game. She had just 11 points and one rebound while fighting foul trouble in a 74-57 loss to South Carolina in last year's national semifinals.

The loss wasn't all Booker's fault as the Longhorns struggled offensively the entire night. Texas shot just 30.8% from the field and only one player — Kyla Oldacre — finished in double figures with 11 points.

“I actually have no idea,” she said about the team's offensive problems. “Lauren Betts — she’s 6-7. I think her length bothered (us) a little.”

Texas was one of the hottest teams in the country coming into the Final Four, riding a 12-game winning streak into Friday’s game. During that stretch, the Longhorns beat fellow Final Four participant South Carolina by 17 points in the SEC Tournament championship and crushed Michigan 77-41 in the Elite Eight.

It's another disappointment for Texas coach Vic Schaefer, who was trying to lead the Longhorns to their second national title and first since 1986. Schaefer has personally coached in four Final Fours — two with Mississippi State and two with Texas — but hasn't been able to take home a championship.

Schaefer said the Longhorns had too many moments where they did things that were out of character.

“Sometimes in this moment things happen," Schaefer said. "We came out of a timeout on two different occasions and people were in the wrong place. I’ll wear the responsibility on that — obviously I didn’t convey it right in the huddle.”

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Texas forward Madison Booker (35) reacts after Texas lost to UCLA in a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Texas forward Madison Booker (35) and UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) scramble for the ball during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Texas forward Madison Booker (35) and Texas guard Ashton Judd (21) celebrate against UCLA during the second half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Texas forward Madison Booker (35) and UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) scramble for the ball during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) drives against Texas forward Madison Booker (35) during the first half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Texas forward Madison Booker (35) drives against UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) during the first half of a women's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)