The Broncos win another close one, win their 6th straight game, and improve to 7-2 on the year.
We saw the offense struggle throughout most of the game once again, but Bo Nix led another 4th quarter comeback and did just enough to get the offense into field goal range, where Wil Lutz kicked the game-winner. The Broncos’ defense suffocated the Texans’ offense, which was without quarterback C.J. Stroud for most of the game, and did well overall while being down All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II.
It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win, and the Broncos are currently the hottest team in the NFL.
With all that said, here are your winners and losers from the Broncos’ comeback victory over the Houston Texans.
WINNER – 4th quarter Bo Nix
It wasn’t pretty, but once the 4th quarter hit, Bo Nix came alive and did just enough to get the Broncos a win and lead yet another 4th quarter comeback.
He would hit rookie running back R.J. Harvey for yet another touchdown to get the score within two points and then hit wide receiver Troy Franklin for the 2-pointer to tie the game. This was the first time the offense really showed life all game and was the beginning of the comeback.
Nix also had a clutch 25-yard scramble late in the 4th quarter to get the Broncos into field goal range and would eventually hit that game-winner. He is dynamic when he uses his legs, and it has benefited the Broncos offense multiple times now when he does take off.
I’ve lost count, but Nix has led comeback victories over the Eagles, Jets, Giants, and now vs. the Texans. Three of these comeback wins have come on the road (and in London), along with the historic comebacker vs. the Giants a few weeks ago.
Do I wish they could put together more complete games? Of course, but the fact that they’re winning these close games, and doing them on the road, is something we did not see them do last season. This team has fight in them, and you cannot count them out of any game that they are in.
LOSER – Broncos offense in the 1st through the 3rd quarter
After an explosive outing vs. the Cowboys, the Broncos’ offense was lifeless through the first three quarters of this game. They couldn’t get anything going, did not run the ball, had turnovers, dropped passes, and just looked bad.
As we have already discussed, they did improve in the 4th quarter again, but we need to see more earlier in the game. This was a tough Texans defense, but the Broncos had their own miscues, which led to them leaving points and yards on the field.
They won, had another 4th quarter comeback, but at some point, these slow starts are going to come back to bite them.
WINNER – Broncos defense, Talanoa Hufanga, and Zach Allen
Before we start, we need to note that starting quarterback C.J. Stroud was knocked out of this game early on due to a concussion, and backup quarterback Davis Mills played most of the game.
This was the Broncos’ first game without All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II, and the defense did not miss a beat. Did they give up some plays to Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz? Yes, but they kept them out of the end zone, racked up some sacks, stuffed the run, and held the Texans offense to 5 field goals.
All in all, Riley Moss, Kris Abrams-Draine, Jahdae Barron, and Ja’Quan McMillian passed the test today.
A big reason for their success was big Zach Allen being a menace in the trenches. He pressured the Texans’ quarterbacks all game, had a sack, a PBU, and was unblockable for most of the game. Allen signed a mega-extension this summer and has been worth every dollar so far.
Safety Talanoa Hufanga was all over the field. He nearly had 2 interceptions, had big tackles, and just looked like the impact player they hoped they were getting when they signed him during free agency.
The Broncos would add 4 more sacks to their NFL-leading total, hold the Texans to 191 yards passing, 77 yards rushing, and 0 touchdowns. The Texans were also 3 for 17 on third downs, which ended up being huge for the Broncos late in this game.
Texans were down Stroud, but once again, the Broncos’ defense was dominant.
Lutz had one blocked earlier in the game, more on that later, but he would once again come up clutch and kick the Broncos’ game-winning field goal.
Lutz replaced fan-favorite Brandon McManus during Sean Payton’s first year and was met with some hate early on from fans/media. However, ever since joining the Broncos, Lutz has been nearly automatic and clutch in key moments for the Broncos.
If the Broncos lost this game, this would be at the top of the list, but a win saved their bacon. Still, it was a dreadful showing by the Broncos’ special teams unit.
They allowed a blocked field goal attempt early in the game, muffed a punt that the Texans recovered and turned into a field goal, allowed multiple big returns, and had multiple penalties which added yardage to these returns.
The Broncos’ defense and Bo Nix and his 4th quarter heroics stepped up and kept these errors from leading to a loss, but still something they need to clean up moving forward.
Other notable Winners and Losers
- WINNER – RB R.J. Harvey: The Broncos’ explosive rookie caught his 4th touchdown over these past two games and helped get them back into the game. He had a slow start to his rookie year, but is quickly becoming a key member of this offense
- WINNER – WR Pat Bryant: It was one play, but the rookie wide receiver made a clutch third-down reception. He has been really showing out in recent weeks.
- WINNER – Broncos OL: The Texans have a very good pass rush, and while they did allow some pressures, they did a good job overall. Nix was sacked just once in this game, and it happened on a broken screen play.
- WINNER – P Jeremy Crawshaw: I almost forgot about the rookie punter, but the Aussie was really booming the ball and kept flipping the field position for the Broncos.
- LOSER – KR Michael Bandy: Was activated off the practice squad and muffed a punt, which led to a Texans field goal. Hopefully, Mims can get healthy for Thursday night’s game.
- WINNER – Broncos postseason odds: If they lost this game, things would get murky in a tight AFC, but a win keeps them in 1st place and currently as a top seed in the AFC
- LOSER – My blood pressure and probably yours: These tight games are not good for my health.
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