Bo Nix, Broncos Win 16th Straight One-Score Game

Bo Nix did his best work after Denver got a second chance. Down 14-13 late in the third quarter, the Broncos watched a review turn a Carolina touchdown try into a Devon Key interception, and Nix answered with touchdown drives on the next two possessions. Nix threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns as the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 26-21 at Bank of America Stadium, the Associated Press reported.

Denver is 7-2, alone in first place in the AFC West and riding a five-game winning streak into its bye week. The Broncos have now won 16 straight games decided by one score, a new NFL record, and six of those have come this season. Carolina is 3-5 after its third straight loss but still shares the NFC South lead with New Orleans.

The Challenge That Changed Everything

Carolina had first-and-goal at the Denver 1 when Bryce Young threw toward the corner of the end zone. The pass was ruled incomplete, and the Panthers ran their next play. Then officials stepped in and ruled that Sean Payton had thrown his challenge flag before that snap. On review, Key had caught the ball after it deflected off tight end Tommy Tremble’s hand. Instead of Carolina going up eight, Denver took over at its own 20.

Nix took it from there. He went 8 of 11 for 90 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter, with three big third-down throws across those two drives. A 14-play, 80-yard march ended with Jonah Coleman’s 9-yard touchdown run for a 19-14 lead, and on the next series Nix hit a wide-open Pat Bryant down the seam to make it 26-14.

Bonitto Closed the Door

It almost slipped away. Young converted a fourth-and-18 and hit Tetairoa McMillan for a 4-yard score with 3:05 left, and then Coleman could not handle a Nix pitch, losing 18 yards and forcing a punt. Nik Bonitto saved it with a strip-sack of Young with 1:24 left, and Nix picked up the clinching first down on a third-down sneak.

Young finished 28 of 39 for 276 yards and three touchdowns. Coleman ran for 57 yards and a score, and Courtland Sutton caught Denver’s other touchdown pass.

Smacktok pick lean: Denver is off this week, so bank this one for when the Broncos return. Lean higher on Bo Nix passing yards. He was at his sharpest late, completing 8 of 11 in the fourth quarter and making three clutch third-down throws on the two go-ahead drives, and Denver kept putting the ball in his hands to close.

Payton said none of these close wins are an accident. Sixteen in a row makes that hard to argue.