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In a season where the Denver Broncos' offense has often sputtered, the team managed to string together just enough plays to secure a 17-14 overtime win against the Seattle Seahawks at Empower Field at Mile High on Thursday night.
Under head coach Sean Payton, who reclaimed play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Davis Webb two games ago, Denver orchestrated a 16-play touchdown drive—its longest of the season—and added a nine-play, 79-yard scoring march. After that, the Broncos relied on their defense to hold the fort.
Payton has emphasized reducing unnecessary "calories" on offense and boosting physicality in the running game to ease the burden on quarterback Bo Nix. Meanwhile, Denver's defense, missing All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II and safety Talanoa Hufanga, continued to harass opposing quarterbacks, notching five sacks for the second straight game and sealing the win with an overtime interception by Ja'Quan McMillian.
The Broncos leaned heavily on the run, calling 26 running plays versus 27 pass attempts before Wil Lutz kicked the game-winning field goal. The victory may not have been pretty—Denver failed to score after the first quarter and had to withstand an 11-point fourth-quarter surge by Seattle—but it was enough by the narrowest of margins.
This win means Denver has navigated the league's toughest six-game opening stretch, according to ESPN Analytics, with victories over both NFC Championship participants from last season and five playoff teams from a year ago, culminating in a 4-2 record.
Key Analysis
Denver Broncos (4-2)
Trend to watch: Despite Payton's efforts to jumpstart faster starts, the Broncos have ended every opening drive of every game—including Thursday—with either a punt or a turnover (five punts and one interception in the season opener). Their Week 5 win over the Chargers was the only opening drive to exceed three plays.
Stat to know: With Thursday's win, Payton's teams have now won 40 consecutive games when leading by double digits at halftime. Denver led 14-3 at the break. The last such loss for a Payton-coached team was Week 1 of the 2014 season when the New Orleans Saints led 20-10 at halftime and fell 37-34.
What to make of the QB performance: Payton's commitment to balance was evident as Nix didn't complete a pass longer than 16 yards and never looked comfortable against a Seahawks pass rush that entered with a league-best 65.5% pass rush win rate. It was a low-risk, low-reward outing for the rookie quarterback.
-- Jeff Legwold
Next game: at Arizona Cardinals (Oct. 25)
Seattle Seahawks (3-3)
The Seahawks' offense is officially broken, and as a result, the defending champions are in serious trouble. In one of their most agonizing offensive showings since Mike Macdonald became head coach in 2024, Seattle managed only 184 yards through the first three quarters, allowed five sacks of quarterback Sam Darnold, and turned the ball over three times—including interceptions in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Making matters worse, the Broncos were without their best defensive player in Surtain and another difference-maker in safety Talanoa Hufanga. The Seahawks wasted a standout performance by their defense, which continues to keep them in games despite the offensive woes.
First-year coordinator Brian Fleury's unit entered Week 6 ranked eighth in scoring, but that was buoyed by Seattle's defense and special teams, which have been covering for the offense's flaws—too many turnovers, Darnold's inability to play decisively, a lack of a credible run game, and breakdowns in pass protection.
With the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers playing the one-win Washington Commanders at home Monday night, the Seahawks could be three games behind in the NFC West standings by the time Week 6 ends—with one loss already to their division rival.
What to make of the QB performance: After taking five sacks Sunday in a loss to the 49ers, Darnold emphasized the need to play more decisively. That still appeared to be an issue Thursday, as he bypassed open receivers and tried unsuccessfully to extend plays. At times, his pass protection gave him no chance. Darnold showed grit by leading a touchdown and field goal drive in the fourth quarter to bookend his fourth-quarter interception. But after entering this game ranked 29th in Total QBR, he now has as many interceptions as touchdown passes—seven—in the four games since returning from a glute injury.
Trend to watch: As good as Seattle's defense is, it can't keep teams out of the end zone in goal-to-go situations. The Seahawks' opponents have had nine such situations over the first six games and have scored touchdowns on all of them—including two by Denver on Thursday night. Not that you can fault Macdonald's unit for this one. After the Broncos' back-to-back long touchdown drives in the first half, Seattle's defense gave them nothing.
Stat to know: This was Jaxon Smith-Njigba's fourth career game with at least 10 catches and 100 receiving yards, tying Tyler Lockett for most in team history. The league's leading receiver and the reigning AP Offensive Player of the Year (12 catches for 134 yards) entered Thursday having gotten 34.8% of the Seahawks' targets—by far the largest target share of any NFL player. He had some help for a change, with Rashid Shaheed (66 yards) and Cooper Kupp (50 yards) both topping 50 receiving yards and combining for 18 targets.
-- Brady Henderson
Next game: vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Oct. 25)
Originally reported by espn.