Regular season wins don’t come any bigger than what the Denver Broncos pulled off in Week 5.
On the road, against the defending Super Bowl champions, trailing 17-3 in the fourth quarter and somehow the Broncos came out with a 21-17 win.
While Denver outscored the Eagles 18-0 in the fourth quarter, none of those points were more valuable than Denver head coach Sean Payton deciding to go for a 2-point conversion with his team trailing 17-16 with 7:36 left in the fourth quarter.
On the 2-point play, quarterback Bo Nix found wide receiver Troy Franklin and an improbable, 18-17 lead that left the Eagles and almost 70,000 fans at Lincoln Financial Field stunned.
The Broncos added a field goal on their final drive and Philadelphia never led again.
It was the first loss of the season for the Eagles and improved the Broncos to 3-2. The Eagles also saw their 12-game home winning streak snapped.
“If you want a signature win, you’re going to have to make a signature decision” CBS Sports play-by-play commentator Jim Nantz said. That’s what (the 2-point conversion) was for Payton and the Broncos.
For Nix, it was just a matter of repetition with Franklin, his college teammate at the University of Oregon.
“Troy ran a great route,” Nix said after the win. “We’ve been repping that play for a few weeks. Those points were huge. It was just a great team win.”
Social Media Reacts to Payton’s Bold Move
Payton’s bold decision seemed to resonate online.
“Gotta love Sean Payton,” Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd wrote on his official X account.
“Sean Payton is an incredible play-caller, feel wise,” ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky wrote on his official X account.
“The Broncos were 1-112 when trailing by 14+ points entering the 4th quarter on the road Bo Nix and Sean Payton give the Broncos the second win in that regard,” Sleeper Broncos wrote on its official X account. “Remarkable comeback.”
“Sean Payton‘s not scared, he’s not afraid of the moment,” CBS Sports color commentator and former NFL quarterback Tony Romo said after the game.
“Sean Payton you absolute PSYCHO I love you,” DNVR Broncos podcast host Ryan Koenigsberg wrote on his official X account.
“The Broncos get their signature win in the Bo Nix, Sean Payton era,” former Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay wrote on X. Sean Payton stated this team is capable of winning the Super Bowl, calling them one of the seven teams he’s coached with that potential before the season started, Broncos Country how we feeling!?
Nix-Franklin Have Unique Connection
Nix and Franklin made NFL history in last season’s AFC Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills when they connected on a 43-yard touchdown pass.
“INCREDIBLE, but true Bo Nix to Troy Franklin is the FIRST rookie to rookie TD in NFL PLAYOFF HISTORY,” NFL on CBS wrote on its official X account.
Their bond goes back to way before that, however. In 2 seasons at the University of Oregon in 2022 and 2023, Franklin had 142 receptions for 2,274 yards and 23 touchdowns catching passes from Nix.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Broncos Praised for ‘Signature Decision’ in Win Over Super Bowl Champions appeared first on Heavy Sports.