Christmas has cemented itself as an NFL holiday, though this year's slate of games revealed more about what ails these contenders than what makes them click.

Only one of the six teams that took the field on December 25th will reach the playoffs. Yet all four games stayed within one possession deep into the fourth quarter. The Cowboys defeated the Commanders, the Vikings ended the Lions' season, and the Broncos edged the Chiefs in the nightcap.

Cowboys Must Fix Defense in Offseason

Dallas' offense put on another clinic. Quarterback Dak Prescott surpassed 300 passing yards for the sixth time this season, capping the Cowboys' seventh game with 30-plus points.

But a close contest against Washington's third-string quarterback exposed the hard truth: the defense remains a problem.

The Cowboys' defensive struggles have been relentless in 2025, though they've shown incremental improvement since the trade deadline. Dallas shipped out a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 first-rounder to fortify the unit.

With an offseason of recovery ahead, Dallas can build around defensive tackle Quinnen Williams anchoring the front seven, supported by cornerback DaRon Bland, linebacker DeMarvion Overshown, cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., and possibly cornerback Trevon Diggs in the secondary.

Detroit's Window May Have Closed

Detroit entered the season dodging questions about whether head coach Dan Campbell could survive the exodus of coordinators Ben Johnson (Bears) and Aaron Glenn (Jets), along with several supporting coaches who departed.

The Lions climbed to 6-3 before collapsing. They've lost five of their last seven games and will miss the playoffs after securing spots in each of the previous two seasons.

The defense disintegrated down the stretch. Detroit surrendered 29-plus points to the Packers, Cowboys, Rams, and Steelers in four straight games before Christmas, then surrendered 20 points to a Max Brosmer-led Vikings offense. The Lions did commit six turnovers, which didn't help their cause.

Detroit remains capable of competing next season, but they may have squandered back-to-back opportunities for a deep postseason run.

Broncos Expose Nix's Inconsistency

Denver's defense is legitimately elite. Against a third-string quarterback, the unit held Kansas City below 100 offensive yards and harassed Chris Oladokun relentlessly.

The offense was pedestrian by comparison. Quarterback Bo Nix completed 26 of 38 passes for 182 yards—an anemic 4.7 yards per attempt—with one touchdown and one interception.

Nix remains a project. He went 18-of-37 in an earlier meeting against Houston and led Denver to just 10 points at home against Las Vegas on November 6. His inconsistency could be the fatal flaw in an otherwise dominant defensive setup.

The Broncos own one of the NFL's best defenses. Whether Bo Nix can maintain competence—much less excellence—will determine if Denver can capture a Lombardi Trophy in February.