Denver Broncos (5-3) – Carolina Panthers (1-7): 28-14
In an orange jersey for the occasion as Halloween approaches, Bo Nix and the Broncos could have scared each other. Following the Panthers' quick opening score, they on the contrary quickly got back on track before continuing the entire match. Author of 4 touchdowns during the match, the rookie quarterback was the great architect of his team's victory. He produced his best performance since his selection in the first round last April.
The Panthers strike first, Bo Nix knocks them out
However, the evening could have turned into a nightmare. After 1 minute of play, Lil'Jordan Humphrey was hit violently and lost the ball. Bryce Young (24/37, 224 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) then finds himself in a good position and directs a perfect drive to open the scoring, on a 6-yard pass towards Xavier Legette (4 receptions, 34 yards, 1 touchdown). A short-lived joy.
Stung, the Broncos enter into steamroller mode. On offense first, with a gala Bo Nix (28/37, 284 yards, 3 touchdowns, 4 races, 5 yards, 1 touchdown). He finds his tight ends Nate Adkins (1 reception, 3 yards, 1 touchdown) then Adam Trautman (4 receptions, 85 yards, 1 touchdown) in the air to celebrate their national day. He then scored Denver's third touchdown on the ground, the third in three possessions. The thrower then presented a superb record of 21/27 for 220 yards and 2 passing touchdowns, as well as another rushing one. The defense is not left out, since after the touchdown it limits the Panthers' attack to a single first down and 24 yards on its next 4 possessions. At the break, Denver already seems to have secured the essentials (21-7).
The Broncos defense continues to perform, Nix assures
Stifled by the pressure imposed by the Denver defense, Bryce Young ultimately remained silent until the last minute of the match. He first falls on Patrick Surtain II, returning from concussion, who makes his third interception of the season. Then he crosses paths with Denver's pass rush and in particular Nick Bonitto. The linebacker made a sack on this occasion in his sixth consecutive game. In Denver, no one had done the same since Von Miller during the 2018 season. Finally, Young met Ja'Quan McMillian who made a high-flying interception. The quarterback will make up for it at the very end of the match with a touchdown “for butter” towards Jalen Coker (4 receptions, 78 yards, 1 touchdown), but the damage is already done.
On the other side of the field, the attack is a little more clumsy. She scored a fourth touchdown through Jaleel McLaughlin on a new pass from Nix. But the latter is not helped by his receivers who prevent him from getting other points. Humphrey, Franklin then Sutton all released important balls. The prize goes to the latter who loses the ball one yard from the fifth touchdown, two minutes from the end. The essential was already done, and Bo Nix broke the record for victories for a rookie quarterback of the Broncos… By surpassing a certain John Elway.
Denver has won 5 of its last 6 games and is full of confidence. The Colorado men will need it before facing the Ravens and then the Chiefs on the road. For the Panthers, the first choice of the Draft looks more and more like an obvious choice…
