The Broncos have spent their bye week in a pretty enviable place. At 7-2, Denver is sitting in position to chase the AFC West for a second straight year, and the path after the break looks manageable enough that a big finish is easy to picture.
Through nine games, though, the season has already produced a handful of defining moments. Some were flashy, some were pure survival, and a couple came with the kind of late-game pressure that can swing a season. Here’s a look at the best of them so far.
6. Nik Bonitto’s strip sack of Bryce Young against the Carolina Panthers
By the time Week 9 was reaching its final stretch, Denver’s secondary was patched together without Riley Moss, Brandon Jones, Talanoa Hufanga, and Kris Abrams-Draine. Carolina had been moving the ball with too much comfort, and it looked like the Broncos were headed for a tight finish they didn’t want.
Then Nik Bonitto changed everything. Late in the fourth quarter, he beat Panthers left tackle Rasheed Walker, got to Bryce Young, and forced the strip sack that handed the ball back to Denver and helped seal the win.
5. Ja’Quan McMillian’s overtime interception against the Seattle Seahawks
Week 6 against Seattle wasn’t pretty, but Ja’Quan “Big Play” McMillian made sure it ended Denver’s way. The Seahawks had a third-down chance to take control in overtime, and McMillian read it perfectly, jumping the route for an interception off Sam Darnold.
That takeaway set up what became a Wil Lutz game-winning field goal.
4. Bo Nix’s 62-yard touchdown run against the Arizona Cardinals
Quarterbacks don’t usually rip off 62-yard touchdowns, which is exactly why Bo Nix’s run in Week 7 stood out so much.
It was a straight-line sprint with nobody from Arizona in sight, and it came at a time when it felt like Nix wasn’t using his legs nearly as much. Beyond the sheer distance, the run looked like a small confidence boost for him too. It was one of those plays that was simple in execution but impossible to ignore once it happened.
3. Talanoa Hufanga’s two-interception game against the Los Angeles Rams
Week 3 against the Rams turned into a showcase for Talanoa Hufanga in the fourth quarter. He picked off Matthew Stafford and took one back for a touchdown to give Denver its first lead of the game, then came up with another interception on the final play when Stafford tried to force a throw into the end zone for what would have been a walk-off score.
That performance mattered even more because of what had come before it. Hufanga had a rough run of near-misses in 2025, and this was the kind of game that finally flipped that script. Denver also erased a 16-point deficit to pull it off.
2. JL Skinner’s goal line stuff of Kenneth Walker III against the Kansas City Chiefs
Denver’s Week 8 win over Kansas City had one of those moments that can define an entire game. The Broncos had already climbed out of an 11-point hole and taken a 28-24 lead, but the Chiefs did what the Chiefs do and drove all the way to the one-yard line.
Then JL Skinner stepped in and stopped Kenneth Walker III at the goal line.
Skinner has spent his career as a backup safety and doesn’t see much defensive action, which makes the play even bigger. Against one of the best running backs in football, he delivered a stop that may have decided the game. If Kansas City punches that in, the whole outcome likely changes.
1. Malcolm Roach’s sack to clinch victory against the Kansas City Chiefs
The biggest moment so far belongs to Malcolm Roach. On the final play against Kansas City, after a false start backed the Chiefs up, Roach beat the left guard and got to Patrick Mahomes for the sack as the clock hit zero.
Roach has been a problem for offensive lines all season, and this was the play that brought all of it into focus. It was the most important snap of Denver’s year to this point, and it came in a game the Broncos had to have.
In Other News...
Broncos Just Raised A Bigger J.K. Dobbins Question
The Broncos spent the NFL trade deadline weighing their backfield options, and J.K. Dobbins ended up staying put after Denver received interest in him but never pulled the trigger on a deal. The teams search for help at running back went beyond one name, too, as Denver also looked into Tennessees Tony Pollard before the Titans declined to move him.
What makes that more interesting now is how the Broncos arrived at Dobbins as their primary runner in the first place. A potential move for Jonathan Taylor from the Colts fell apart, leaving Denver to keep Dobbins as the lead option and raising the bigger question of whether the front office sees him as a long-term fit or simply the best answer available at the moment. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Bye Week Could Reshape The Line In Front Of Bo Nix
The Broncos are heading into their bye week with a familiar problem staring them in the face: the offensive line in front of Bo Nix has not been good enough. Sean Payton has acknowledged the issues after the game against the Chiefs, and the numbers around Denvers run game reflect it, with the team lagging near the bottom in conversion rate and yards per carry.
What makes the timing interesting is that the break gives Denver a chance to tinker before the next game, against the Raiders, and there is already outside buzz about a possible reshuffle up front. Columnist Troy Renck has pointed to Ben Powers, Alex Palczewski and Luke Wattenberg as names to watch, which suggests the Broncos may not just be looking for better blocking, but a different mix altogether. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Bye Week Could Spark A Crucial Secondary Decision
With the Broncos sitting at 7-2 and in strong shape in the AFC West, the Week 10 bye offers more than just a breather. It also gives the front office a familiar window to work through business that can linger in the background during the grind of the season, and Denver has used this stretch before to get contract matters done.
The secondary is one area worth watching closely, with Ja'Quan McMillian, Riley Moss and Brandon Jones all in the mix as extension possibilities based on how they have played and where they stand contractually. The Broncos do not have to force anything this week, but a bye can be an ideal time to sort out priorities before the schedule tightens again and the conversation shifts back to football. [Read more 🡒]