Broncos Stun Eagles in their Best Win of the Bo Nix Era
The Broncos were 1-112 all-time when trailing by 14 or more points entering the fourth quarter on the road (per CBS)... until Sunday. The Denver Broncos just doubled this total, knocking off the undefeated, defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in epic fashion. The Broncos outscored the Eagles 18-0 in the fourth quarter, overcoming a 14-point deficit, and handing Philadelphia their first loss of the season.
Bo Nix and the offense struggled early but found a way to rally late, while the Denver defense kept the game alive, forcing multiple stops, sacking Jalen Hurts six times, and minimizing All-Pro Saquon Barkley in the run game.
This game was a statement win for the Broncos and is undoubtedly the most significant of the Bo Nix era in Denver.
Back-to-Back DPOY in Denver?
Nik Bonitto is making a hell of a case for the Defensive Player of the Year award. While Zach Allen led the Broncos' five pressures against the Eagles, Bonitto was close behind him, disrupting Jalen Hurts with four pressures and 2.5 sacks. Bonitto now leads the league in total pressures (31) and sacks (7) (per Next Gen Stats). If he continues to play at this level, not only will Bonitto become a household name, but he will also have a legitimate chance to be named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He could make the Broncos the only team to have two different players win the award in back-to-back seasons. That is a feat I know all of Broncos Country is rooting for.
Engram Sighting in Philadelphia
For the first time this season, tight end Evan Engram made an impact for Bo Nix and the Denver offense. While the stats aren’t eye-popping, he did make two 10+ yard receptions in the fourth quarter that helped the Broncos secure the game, including an 11-yard touchdown. This is an excellent sign for Broncos Country, as Engram had been a non-factor up until the Eagles game. However, after sitting out last week to recover from lingering injuries, it appears that he is ramping back up in preparation to become the playmaker that this offense desperately needs in the middle of the field.
Learning How to Win
I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t worried as Jalen Hurts led the Eagles into scoring position on the final drive of Sunday’s game. Broncos County knows this feeling all too well. The Broncos have a 37-48 record in one-score games over the last five years (per Statmuse). To compound this, the Broncos' record against winning teams was 1-8 last season, and this season, they were 0-2. Thankfully, Denver’s offense was able to score a field goal on their final drive to push their lead to four points, forcing Philadelphia to go for a touchdown rather than a field goal, as they had in previous weeks. Ultimately, the game came down to a Hail Mary that landed right in DeVonta Smith’s hands, nearly being secured before a gang of Broncos’ defensive backs were able to swarm around Smith and break up the pass.
Sean Payton’s Vision
We just witnessed the Broncos grow and develop into a more complete unit against one of the league's best teams. Bo Nix stayed turnover-free and proved he can be clutch when it counts, leading Denver to 3-of-3 scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Sean Payton remained committed to running the ball, even when down multiple scores in the second half, as Denver racked up 130 yards on the ground. And the defense continues to be the glue that holds this team together, keeping teams out of the end zone, allowing only 25% of their opponents' red-zone opportunities (per Team Rankings) to reach paydirt, truly embracing their 'bend but don't break' philosophy.
With this victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, Sean Payton’s Broncos are finally putting it all together. The Super Bowl-caliber team Payton envisioned the 2025 Broncos feels like it’s only a few weeks' worth of improvements away. Today’s performance proved that the Broncos can stare adversity in the eye and refuse to flinch. Despite their flaws and despite the odds, this team can go toe-to-toe with anybody.
The thing is, they don’t just want to go the distance; they want to win.