In their most chaotic win yet, a Bo Nix-led drive and a Nik Bonitto-led stop gave the Broncos a 27-26 win over the Commanders in overtime on Sunday Night Football. Here’s The Denver Post’s report card from a nail-biter in Maryland.
OFFENSE — C+
Well, the story was no different in Week 13 than from Week 1, or any of the weeks in between. Fits of brilliance. Moments of sheer flow state for Nix. And head-scratching inefficiency for long stretches.
Through three quarters, Nix was excellent Sunday. He led a textbook two-minute drive toward the end of the first half, getting the ball out quick and accurate. He capped it off with one of the highlight plays of his second-year season, a rocket to Courtland Sutton in the end zone while being tugged to the turf in Maryland. And then Nix nearly shot himself — and the Broncos’ odds — in the foot in the fourth quarter, completely missing Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner and throwing a double-pump interception right to him.
Denver’s offense imploded for three drives to finish the fourth quarter, as Nix suddenly looked out of sorts both with his footwork in the pocket and timing with receivers. A promising three quarters for the Broncos’ offense was nearly undone by a complete stinker in the fourth — only for Sean Payton to utterly dismantle the Commanders’ defense on the first drive of overtime with a variety of underneath routes on a five-play, 76-yard touchdown drive. It was inconsistent. It was enough.
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DEFENSE — B-
Through three quarters, this was one of the weakest efforts of the season for Vance Joseph’s defense. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II is not one to typically shed much emotion, but even he tossed up his hands after a first-down completion to Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin in the third quarter.
Joseph’s zone looks had too many soft spots. His man looks had too many missed tackles. The Broncos’ defense stiffened in the fourth quarter yet again, but finally bent at the end of regulation in surrendering a game-tying field-goal drive. And Denver was nearly bled to death in overtime, when cornerback Riley Moss was beat on a 38-yard ball from Commanders quarterback Marcus Mariota to Deebo Samuel to set up a goal-line touchdown.
As they’ve done all season, though, the Broncos’ defense mounted one last stand. This time courtesy of star OLB Bonitto, who screamed off the edge, swatted away a Mariota pass on a game-winning two-point conversion attempt, and led a victory stampede of Broncos across the turf at Northwest Stadium.
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SPECIAL TEAMS — B
Pretty decent! At least, no major uh-ohs. Tyler Badie somehow was dinged for an illegal-formation penalty on the Broncos’ first kickoff of the game in the first quarter, but Denver’s special-teams unit has largely stabilized across the last three weeks after a rocky start to 2025. Kicker Wil Lutz did his job in finishing two-of-two on field goals. Punter Jeremy Crawshaw delivered a fourth-quarter beauty of a boot, too, that was only stunted by Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s failure to down it at the 1-yard line.
COACHING — A-
This category has become a paradox. Yes, the Broncos’ offense failed to put together four coherent quarters again Sunday, and Payton often veered away from the run game — three straight dropbacks on one fourth-quarter drive immediately after Nix’s interception. Joseph, whose defense has normally donned burnt-orange superhero capes, was pushed to the brink by Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.
But there is a certain intangible that becomes tangible when Denver continues to win in the most incomprehensible of ways. Sunday’s performance was uneven. But the Broncos’ head men found the pulse when necessary on Sunday. Payton orchestrated a brilliant two-minute drive at the end of the first half, and dispatched Washington’s defense in cold blood in overtime. Joseph tweaked the Broncos’ pressure on Bonitto’s game-winning play. Denver loses this game ten times out of ten if cooler heads did not prevail.
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