The Denver Broncos have defied the odds in a heart-pounding overtime showdown, edging out the Washington Commanders 27-26 and pushing their winning streak to an impressive nine games – but is this thrilling run masking some serious cracks in their foundation?
LANDOVER, Md. — In a moment that felt straight out of a movie, Nik Bonitto stepped up and essentially sealed the deal for the Broncos.
Their remarkable streak continues.
Denver now boasts nine consecutive victories.
And get this: They're now sharing the top spot in the NFL standings with the New England Patriots at a stellar 10-2 record.
But here's where it gets controversial... This wasn't a walk in the park; it was a nail-biting battle that tested every ounce of their resolve.
In a piece titled 'Renck: Bo Show remains a hit, especially in clutch, but Broncos cannot keep winning this way,' our columnist dives into how Bo Nix's clutch performances are shining bright, yet the team's vulnerabilities might catch up sooner than later. (https://www.denverpost.com/2025/11/30/bo-nix-broncos-commanders-week-13-overtime-renck/)
Bonitto swatted away a crucial two-point conversion attempt – for those new to football, that's when a team tries to score an extra two points by running or passing into the end zone after a touchdown, often to tie or take the lead – and the Broncos lived to fight another day in Washington on Sunday evening, securing a 27-26 victory in overtime at Northwest Stadium.
The drama peaked on the final play of the extra period.
Denver believed they'd clinched it on a fourth-down interception by Brandon Jones, where the ball was tipped and caught, but safety Talanoa Hufanga was penalized for pass interference, overturning the play. (Pass interference, by the way, means illegally obstructing a receiver, giving the offense a fresh set of downs.)
The Commanders thought they'd punched in a touchdown on a 30-yard reception, only for it to be wiped out by a holding penalty – that's when an offensive player illegally blocks or grabs a defender. Then, they advanced to the brink with a 38-yard pass from Marcus Mariota to Deebo Samuel, who evaded coverage from Riley Moss.
They capitalized on fourth-and-goal with 2:47 remaining in overtime.
Bonitto burst off the edge on the decisive two-point try, deflecting Mariota's throw and racing to celebrate with his teammates on the Denver sideline.
The Broncos grabbed the lead thanks to rookie quarterback Bo Nix's lightning-fast touchdown march to kick off overtime, featuring a standout 41-yard catch-and-run by tight end Evan Engram. (A tight end is a hybrid player who lines up close to the offensive line, often used for blocking and receiving.)
Nix followed up with a 6-yard pass to receiver Courtland Sutton, and then rookie running back RJ Harvey bulldozed into the end zone from 5 yards out, giving Denver the edge.
But this is the part most people miss... The defense had to dig deep in the second half as the offense sputtered, failing to produce much after halftime. Denver had racked up back-to-back scoring drives around halftime and four drives of 10 or more plays in their first five possessions, but the fourth quarter was a different story.
The Broncos controlled the ball four times in that final quarter, all while ahead. Yet, those opportunities fizzled out with a costly interception by Nix and three punts. (A punt is when the offense kicks the ball downfield to the opposing team when they're unable to advance.)
Nix kicked things off by overlooking linebacker Bobby Wagner lurking in the middle and tossing a pick right to him. Then, Denver punted three times in a row, managing just two first downs. They struggled to run the ball effectively and often faced third-and-long situations – meaning they needed a big gain on third down to keep the drive alive.
After those initial offensive hiccups, Vance Joseph's defense stepped up. They forced a field goal following Nix's interception and then two consecutive punts.
In the waning seconds of regulation, though, Washington engineered a grueling 18-play drive, capped by a 32-yard field goal from Jake Moody to deadlock the score at 20-20 as time expired.
Central to their comeback was a third-and-25 conversion – where they turned a long third down into a first down via a 19-yard pass to Deebo Samuel, followed by an 8-yard, clutch throw to tight end Zach Ertz, who hauled in 10 catches for 106 yards overall.
Mariota threw two misses in the final 12 seconds, missing chances to snap the Broncos' eight-game win streak.
Up until that late surge, Denver dominated much of the game but couldn't build a bigger cushion.
Sean Payton's squad assembled four lengthy drives of 10-plus plays in their opening five chances. The first two stalled, leading to field goals by Wil Lutz. (A field goal is a kick through the goalposts for three points, often attempted when the offense can't reach the end zone.)
Nix and the offense peaked in the first half with a sharp 64-yard, 10-play drive – all through the air – ending in a touchdown. Nix showcased his mobility by scrambling right and firing a pass to receiver Courtland Sutton just before being tackled for a sack. (A sack is when the defensive line tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage, often for a loss of yards.)
'He excels at those,' Payton explained to the NBC broadcast en route to halftime. 'That was textbook.'
On that scoring series, Nix also got Sutton and tight end Evan Engram heavily involved. Neither had receptions in the first three drives, but together they amassed five catches for 51 yards, culminating in the touchdown during the two-minute drill. (The two-minute drill is a series of quick plays at the end of a half to score before time runs out.)
Denver then scored again on their initial second-half possession, responding to a Washington touchdown – highlighted by receiver Treylon Burks' incredible catch, arguably one of the year's best in the league – to regain a 20-14 lead.
From there, however, the offense went cold, and the defense showed some wear and tear late.
Payton emphasized to his players during their first team meeting post-bye week on Monday that reducing penalties was key to their playoff aspirations. Ironically, a careless penalty fueled Washington's sole first-half score. After Zach Allen's strong tackle on Mariota, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto was flagged for a personal foul – essentially excessive roughness – for yanking Washington center Tyler Biadasz away from Denver defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers.
This turned a challenging third-and-long into a golden first-and-goal from the 8-yard line. Chris Rodriguez then scored straight up the middle on the following play.
The Broncos also had tackling issues early on after their bye week, which was unusual for Joseph's typically stout unit.
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And this brings us to a thought-provoking point: Is relying on defense and clutch plays sustainable for Denver's long-term success, or does Nix need to shake off these offensive droughts to truly contend? Some fans might argue that Bo's mobility and leadership make up for it, but others could say the team's penalties and tackling woes are red flags. What do you think – can the Broncos keep winning like this, or is a wake-up call coming? Share your opinions in the comments below; let's debate!
