It wasn’t the prettiest game, but the Denver Broncos got to 10-2 with their overtime win against the Washington Commanders. All that matters is that the Broncos got the win, keeping them in a great position to make the playoffs and win the division.
Breaking down the game, a few Broncos players put on a great performance, while others had an extremely rough game. Some of these players were a consistent issue for their side of the ball and didn’t have enough positives to make up for it, while others did.
That’s where the player grades come in, so let’s get to it.
MVPs
Offensive: Garett Bolles | LT | Grade: 79.5
The Commanders generated some pass-rush heat, but Bolles did well, allowing only a single pressure. While there were some issues in the run game, he mostly did well with a few bad plays mixed in.
Defensive: Ja’Quan McMillian | CB | Grade: 76.7
McMillian has been outstanding for the Broncos all season, consistently making impactful plays. It isn’t an easy job, but he is finding ways to get it done.
Quarterback
Bo Nix | Grade: 75.6
There were a few bad plays from Nix, including the awful interception staring down his receiver, but he made some outstanding throws. His touchdown toss might be his best throw of the season, if not for his career.
The Positives
Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Adam Trautman (82) carries the ball after a reception against the Washington Commanders in the second quarter of the game at Northwest Stadium. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images
Adam Trautman | TE | Grade: 76.9
Where was this player all season long? Trautman more than held his own as a blocker consistently throughout the game, with a snap or two as the exception, and he made an impact as a receiver.
While he did have a drop, all three of Trautmans’ catches extended the drive for the Broncos.
Dondrea Tillman | OLB | Grade: 76.5
The Broncos have found themselves a steal in Tillman, who has played exceptionally in his limited role. While there were concerns earlier in the season, he has continued to grow and develop as a player and has looked capable of being the third pass rusher, as he has had to be with Jonah Elliss missing time with injuries.
Riley Moss | CB | Grade: 75.9
Moss made a colossal mistake late in the game, but he was outstanding up to that point, and if not for the play, his grade would’ve put him as the highest-graded Bronco in this game. The boxing gloves helped, as there were no penalties against Moss, and he still broke up multiple passes.
The touchdown Moss allowed was perfect coverage, but an outstanding catch by Treylon Burks.
Luke Wattenberg | C | Grade: 74.1
The Broncos extended Wattenberg during the week leading up to the game, and the immediate return was the best game of his career. It wasn’t perfect, with some hiccups against the run, but he also had some great blocks in the running game, and he held up perfectly in the passing game.
Alex Singleton | ILB | Grade: 74.1
After what Singleton has gone through, the fact that he even played this game was significant, and he played so well. Credit to him, who has never had his toughness questioned, but in terms of play, he had an extremely positive impact on the defense.
Evan Engram | TE | Grade: 64.3
It was a rough start for the right end with a few drops, but Engram kept at it and made some plays to help forget about the drops. When Denver needed it, especially late in the game, he stepped up and finally looked like the player the Broncos wanted when they signed him.
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The Negative
Nov 30, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) tackles Washington Commanders running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. (36) in the first quarter of the game at Northwest Stadium. | Peter Casey-Imagn Images
Alex Palczewski | LG | Grade: 37.5
While Palczewski has played admirably, it’s clearly not what you want from a starter. It will likely make him the Broncos’ sixth or seventh lineman, providing depth at three of the five line positions, not a future penciled-in starter.
Jonathon Cooper | OLB | Grade: 39.5
While Cooper is a technically proficient and disciplined player, you wouldn’t think that to be the case if your only exposure is the Commanders game. Cooper consistently played with poor technique, but even worse, his lack of lane discipline led to multiple big runs for Marcus Mariota.
Troy Franklin | WR | Grade: 42.1
While Franklin has developed into a good zone-beater, he was unable to make an impact as a receiver against the Commanders. In the end, he struggled to find the soft spot in zones and played terribly in all other elements.
Talanoa Hufanga | S | Grade: 43.6
Maybe it was being sick, or the bye week, or something else, but Hufanga was not up to par. That doesn’t mean he didn’t still make some plays; he led the team in tackles.
It’s that for every good play Hufanga did make, he was the cause of two terrible plays for the defense.
John Franklin-Myers | DL | Grade: 44.3
Franklin-Myers struggled against the run, and the Commanders consistently found success moving him around. Given his minimal impact as a pass rusher, it’s easy to see why he graded out as low as he did.
RJ Harvey | RB | Grade: 48.8
There were a few big runs for Harvey in the game, including both touchdowns, and he also had an impact as a receiver, so why the low grade? Well, outside of four runs, Harvey was terrible running the ball and picked up less than half the rushing yards expected.
The Broncos can’t afford ot leave rushing yards on the field. That said, those touchdowns, the catches, and a key block inspire hope for his potential going forward.
Other Noteworthy Grades
Eyioma Uwazurike | DL | Grade: 69.8
With D.J. Jones getting hurt and missing part of the game, Denver had to turn to Uwazurike, and he did well for them. Late in the game, Uwazurike made his most impactful play when the defense was exhausted, stepping in to make the big stop against the run.
Plays like that can give the defense energy, and that’s what it did.
Courtland Sutton | WR | Grade: 61.2
The connection between Sutton and Nix is undeniable, and the touchdown catch was an unbelievable play that highlights Nix’s trust in Sutton. Whenever the Broncos need a play, Nix is looking for Sutton, and with good reason.
Mike McGlinchey | RT | Grade: 53.4
The right tackle ended with a solid game, but he was struggling in the first half. On the day, McGlinchey only allowed two pressures, but what’s more was how much he struggled as a run blocker. Things balanced out late in the game, but McGlinchey was trending in the wrong direction.
Zach Allen | DL | Grade: 47.2
The Commanders’ offensive line dominated the trenches and practically eliminated Allen from the game. Even though he picked up three pressures, including a quarterback hit that led to an interception, there were few other positives from the game Allen had.
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