3 Honest Takeaways from Broncos’ Gritty Comeback Win Over Texans

Something special is brewing in the Mile High City, as the Denver Broncos extended their winning streak to six games in dramatic fashion on Sunday.

The 7-2 Broncos beat the 3-5 Houston Texans 18-15 at NRG Stadium in a matchup that boasted two top defenses with just two touchdowns scored in the entire game, both by the road team.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was forced to exit the match after being placed in concussion protocol, the result of his helmet violently bouncing off the turf during a legal tackle from Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine on a scramble.

Stroud’s exit forced backup signal-caller Davis Mills into the lineup, who did an admirable job commanding the Texans’ offense, maintaining a 15-7 lead entering the fourth quarter. But despite being on the road, the Broncos conjured up some Mile High Magic in the Lone Star State, and once again found a way to win late. 

Denver won the too-close-for-comfort contest on a walk-off 34-yard field goal from the reigning AFC Special Teams Player of the Month, Wil Lutz. The Broncos’ sixth consecutive win ties them with the 7-2 New England Patriots for the longest active winning streak in the NFL.

It’ll be a short week for the Broncos, who will return to Denver to host the 2-5 Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football. 

So, what did we learn from the Broncos stealing a win away from the Texans? Let’s review three significant takeaways. 

For the first three quarters of this game, Denver’s offense was inefficient, predictable, and ineffective. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix was 0-for-4 in the first quarter alone, before finally moving the chains in the second quarter.

Just before halftime, Nix found Courtland Sutton on a 30-yard touchdown pass after the Broncos’ receiver scorched Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. at the line of scrimmage.

But other than that second-quarter touchdown, it was slow going for a Payton offense that could only muster 271 total yards and averaged 4.4 yards per play. Denver was also 6-for-15 on third down, while seemingly abandoning the run game for vast stretches, despite it showing signs of potential against Houston’s stingy defense.

Sprinkle in a boneheaded interception thrown by Nix and a muffed punt by Michael Bandy, and things looked bleak for the Broncos. Nevertheless, the Broncos refused to give up and saved their best offensive output until the chips were down in the final quarter.

Down 15-7, Nix flipped the switch and found the reigning Rookie of the Week, RJ Harvey, on a 27-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. Just one play later, Nix doubled down with his hot arm and connected with Troy Franklin on the two-point conversion, tying the game.

Nix found eight separate receivers, going 18-of-37 for 173 yards and two touchdowns, with an interception. 

The dynamic and quick scoring from the Broncos’ otherwise anemic offense throughout most of the game breathed the necessary life into a defense that would be called upon to muster the complete team comeback.

The Broncos are now 5-2 in one-score games, compared to being 1-6 by that same measure in 2024. Denver is now 4-0 when trailing at the start of the fourth quarter this season, advancing the magical theme of conquering the late deficit with Nix, the comeback king.

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Broncos Country can breathe a sigh of relief after Denver’s defense displayed a heroic effort without its best player, Patrick Surtain II, who’s been sidelined for the next few weeks with a pectoral injury.

The Broncos held the Texans out of the end zone for the entire game, surrendering five field goals to the hometown team. Sure, the loss of Stroud early in the first half compounded many of the Texans’ offensive problems, but you won’t get any apologies from Denver’s defense, which played tough, physical, and within the rules.

While witnessing Stroud’s helmet violently bouncing off the turf was difficult to watch, it was notable that Abrams-Draine did not produce an illegal or late hit to the Texans’ quarterback. 

Abrams-Draine and Denver’s secondary would limit Stroud’s backup, Mills, to just 137 passing yards, while the Texans’ offense earned 268 total yards. Houston’s top three receivers — tight end Dalton Schultz, and wideouts Nico Collins and Christian Kirk — combined for 17 receptions and 178 yards as the Broncos’ defensive backs refused to surrender touchdowns.

Mills was under relentless pressure from the likes of Dre Greenlaw, Zach Allen, Malcolm Roach, Jonathon Cooper, and Dondrea Tillman, all of whom registered sacks against Houston’s offensive line. Nik Bonitto was shut out in the sack department for the third straight game, but he impacted Mills consistently with pressure.

What’s more impressive is that Vance Joseph’s dominant defense forced multiple goal-line stuffs, resulting in the Texans going 0-for-2 in goal-to-go scenarios while also being 0-for-3 in the red zone and 3-for-17 on third down. 

Team captains Alex Singleton and Talanoa Hufunga played like madmen, leading their unit with 19 combined tackles, two pass deflections, and one tackle for a loss. Not to mention the defensive line that shows unrelenting pursuit from players the likes of Jonathon Franklin-Myers and Roach.

That old saying of “strength lies in numbers” couldn’t be truer for a Broncos defense that is proving to itself and the rest of the league that it can hold the line until Surtain returns. 

When Payton became the head coach of the Broncos, many wondered why the veteran play-caller just had to have his former place kicker from the New Orleans Saints, especially when Denver had to surrender a 2024 seventh-round pick to acquire Lutz. 

But Payton clearly understood that good kicking is hard to find, and when the chips are down, it pays to have your guy. Tied 15-15 in Houston with just three seconds left on the clock, the team captain drilled a 34-yard walk-off field goal to win the game for Denver.

Moments before hitting the game-winning kick, Payton offered some words of encouragement to the ninth-year veteran kicker. 

“Hey, right through,” Payton appeared to shout at Lutz as the kicker trotted onto the field. Payton’s slight smile and message resulted in Lutz giving his coach a friendly nod of affirmation before nailing the 12th game-winning field goal of his career. 

Lutz had to overcome a blocked 51-yard field goal attempt that happened in the first quarter of action. He connected on his lone extra point attempt, contributing four points in the Broncos’ sixth consecutive win. 

The Broncos’ belief in each other is something that shouldn’t be overlooked. Defense may have carried the load in Houston, but despite the offense’s and special teams’ struggles, Denver’s head coach and players never wavered, believing they could weather the storm and come out on top.

Sometimes, total trust in your hand-picked guys breeds success and victory through loyalty and commitment.

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