Frank Schwab Senior writer Updated Fri, October 16, 2026 at 3:37 AM UTC About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this story DENVER — The 2025 Denver Broncos weren't always pretty, but they kept winning game after game until they finished with 14 W's in the regular season.
The 2026 Broncos are taking that blueprint and running with it.
The Broncos haven't been aesthetically pleasing through six games. They also have what is likely the best set of three quality wins of anyone in the NFL. They have beaten the Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars and on Thursday night they added the Seattle Seahawks to their list.
Despite the Broncos' offense bogging down in the second half, which has been the case many times this season, the defense was excellent. It forced two interceptions against Sam Darnold, including one in overtime. Despite the repeated failures of the offense, which gained 30 yards in the third and fourth quarters, Denver found a way to win.
Ja'Quan McMillian was the hero in overtime, picking off Darnold at Seattle's 43-yard line. Wil Lutz hit a 53-yard field goal to win it 17-14.
The Broncos are 4-2. Not everything has gone their way. The offense struggled so badly in the first four games that head coach Sean Payton took back play-calling duties from coordinator Davis Webb. And it hasn't been better with Payton calling plays.
It's also tough to be too critical of a 4-2 team that has played one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, no matter how it has looked. The Broncos just keep winning ugly.
Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey, left, is lifted by teammate Quinn Meinerz (77) to celebrate Harvey's touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Broncos had to figure out their offensive issues and do so against one of the NFL's best defenses. After a quick three-and-out, the Broncos went on what might be their best drive of the season.
Picking up a pair of third-down conversions and one on fourth down, the Broncos drove 74 yards on 16 plays, and J.K. Dobbins finished it with a 4-yard touchdown run. There weren't a lot of explosive plays but it is hard to sustain a drive that long against Seattle, and Denver pulled it off. It seemed like a good sign for the Broncos. Then they followed it up with another nice drive, helped by a pass interference call in the end zone, and RJ Harvey scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. For a Broncos team that had struggled to move the ball over the first five games of the season, especially in the first half, a 14-3 lead at halftime was surprising.
The good news for the Seahawks was the Broncos didn't score in the third and fourth quarters.
The Broncos weren't exactly moving it at will despite the 14-3 halftime lead. They had just 130 yards on offense in the first half. Then they gained 16 yards in the third quarter. But Seattle couldn't take advantage for three-plus quarters.
The Seahawks couldn't sustain drives. Their run game lacked explosion, which has been a theme all season. The passing game didn't do much either. But the Broncos' defense was a big part of that. Their pass rush in particular was a big reason Sam Darnold couldn't find anyone downfield. He was sacked five times Thursday night.
But finally in the fourth quarter the Seahawks found the end zone. They got a fourth-down conversion to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and that led to a touchdown run by George Holani and a juggling 2-point conversion catch by Rashid Shaheed.
The Broncos' offense had done almost nothing in the second half when it suddenly found itself needing to protect a 14-11 lead. Bo Nix got sacked, a run play gained little and then Nix took another sack for a quick three-and-out. Darnold hit Smith-Njigba for a 32-yard gain on a great contested catch over the middle, getting Seattle on the verge of field-goal range. But Darnold rushed a pass that was picked off by Kris Abrams-Draine, turning away the threat. That seemed like it would seal the win.
But Nix and company did nothing after that, with another quick three-and-out. Seattle had one more shot with 57 seconds left after a long Shaheed punt return got the Seahawks to their own 46-yard line. A few passes got them comfortably into field-goal range, and with three seconds left Jason Myers tied it to send the game to overtime.
In overtime, Darnold made another critical mistake, throwing a pick to Ja'Quan McMillan. That was all the Broncos needed to get Lutz the field goal and escape with a win.
Denver squeaks by with a win in overtime thanks to another dominant defensive performance. Meanwhile, Seattle's woes continue: Despite the late comeback, the Hawks fall to 3-3 after losing three of their last four games.
A late pick and a 53-yard walkoff field goal from Wil Lutz are enough to give Denver a big overtime win.
Denver can taste the win after McMillian intercepts a throw intended for Rashid Shaheed. Sam Darnold's second pick of the game is a costly one, putting the Broncos in field goal range early in OT.
Broncos win the coin toss and elect to kick first, so the Seahawks will start with the ball.
Remember, if the game is still tied at the end of the 10-minute overtime period, then it will end in a tie. We've already had one tie this season, with the Commanders' disastrous draw with the Giants last week.
Seattle's late push, including a touchdown and successful two-point conversion with less than six minutes remaining, ties things up at 14. This game is heading to overtime.
After missing a field goal earlier in the game, Jason Myers hits a 34-yard attempt to thing the game at 14-all and potentially push the game into overtime.
Seattle leaves just three seconds on the clock for the Broncos, but overtime seems imminent.
With a minute and a half left, Denver just needed to shave some time off the clock and get the first down in order to seal the three-point win. Instead, Bo Nix and the Broncos could only pull off a 15-second three-and-out play — their sixth three-and-out of the game — forcing Denver to put and give the Seahawks the ball back with plenty of time to get a score.
With the Seahawks inching closer to retaking the lead, Kris Abrams-Draine delivers something of a death blow undercutting Tory Horton's route and pulling down an absolutely crucial interception on Sam Darnold.
Danold and Horton were both visibly frustrated after the turnover. Denver will get the ball back with about a minute and a half remaining to try and ice the win.
Sam Darnold goes long with a 32-yard pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who pulls the ball down in traffic for a massive gain.
Bo Nix gets taken down twice in one drive, forcing the Broncos to punt a crucial moment in a one-score game. First, Ernest Jones IV gets there for a three-yard loss, before Nick Emmanwori takes Nix down for a 10-yard loss.
Seattle defense wakes up at the perfect time as the Hawks attempt a late comeback.
With Seattle going for two and Sam Darnold under pressure, the Seahawks quarterback lofts it towards Shaheed, who plants his feet and dives for a remarkable catch.
Seattle has cut the deficit, with just three points separating the Hawks and the Broncos heading into the final five minutes and change.
What a great series for Holani, who pushes through to pick up a first down off a stellar extra-yard run, and then rushes for a touchdown on the next play.
On third-and-10, Sam Darnold keeps the football and runs for the first down with an 18-yard rush. Danold appears to be bleeding from his right arm, but ignores the scrape and powers through as Seattle tries to score late.
The pressure is ramping up for Seattle as the clock winds down, but Sam Darnold's seven-yard pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba gives the Seahawks a big conversion.
On fourth-and-inches, the Broncos try to get the Seahawks defense to jump offsides, but Seattle doesn't bite. Denver goes for the punt after losing five yards with a delay-of-game penalty.
The Broncos defense has been ruthless, while the Seahawks' offensive line has struggled to the keep the pocket open for Sam Darnold tonight.
Though Seattle was initially in field goal range, the seven-yard loss forces them to punt. Things are only getting worse for the Seahawks offense with the fourth quarter underway.
Seahawks defense forces a three-and-out after some great coverage on Courtland Sutton. Seattle will get the ball back with less than two minutes left in the third and the score stuck at 14-3.
Source: Sport
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