Pat Bryant didn’t try to dodge the moment after the Broncos’ wild 30-26 win over the Rams. He leaned right into it.
On Monday, the second-year Denver receiver admitted he helped sell the pass interference flag that wiped out a late Los Angeles interception and kept the Broncos’ comeback alive.
“A little pass interference. I sold it just a little bit,” Bryant said, according to the Associated Press.
“At the end of the day, you've got to do what you've got to do win. That's all.”
The play came with Denver down 26-23 and a little more than a minute left. Bo Nix threw toward Bryant near the Rams’ 11-yard line, and Josh Wallace appeared to come down with the interception for Los Angeles. Instead, Wallace was flagged for defensive pass interference.
The call immediately drew scrutiny. NBC rules analyst Terry McAulay said during the broadcast that Bryant seemed to start the contact by grabbing Wallace and pulling the defender toward him.
“I don't see the defender do anything that significantly hinders the receiver on this play,” McAulay said, according to Yahoo Sports.
That flag changed everything. Rather than Los Angeles taking over at its own 8-yard line with 1:09 remaining, Denver got a fresh set of downs and kept marching.
A few plays later, Nix finished the job with a 1-yard quarterback sneak, another late-game escape for a quarterback who keeps stacking them up.
The Rams still had one last chance, but Talanoa Hufanga picked off Matthew Stafford in the end zone to seal Denver’s second straight win.
Bryant’s night was bigger than the disputed call, too. He finished with two catches for 44 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown that got Denver on the board after it trailed 16-0 at halftime. He also hauled in a two-point conversion as the Broncos completed the rally.
In Other News...
Broncos Just Got A Reminder Of Where They Stand With CBS
The broadcast assignments for this week offered a small but telling reminder of how CBS is viewing the AFC West picture. Rather than placing its top crew on Broncos-49ers, the network sent Jim Nantz and J.J. Watt to Raiders-Chiefs, leaving Denvers matchup to a different booth in the same time slot. For Broncos fans, it was the kind of selection that tends to sting a little, especially when the alternative is a game that could carry more weight on the field.
The reaction followed quickly, with plenty of fans arguing that star power and familiar storylines won out over the more compelling football. It also served as another confirmation that Tony Romo remains away from CBS broadcasts, even as the network leans on its other marquee voices for the biggest windows. For Denver, the message was hard to miss: the Broncos still have to earn their place in the spotlight before CBS treats them like a featured game. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Took An Unusual Risk In Denvers Comeback Win
Sean Payton did something out of character in Denvers comeback win over the Rams, and it helped swing the game. The Broncos pulled out a 30-26 victory with a pair of successful two-point conversions in the third quarter, a stretch of aggression from a coach who usually leans conservative in that part of the game. The calls were not just bold in the abstract, either, with one built around a pass from Bo Nix to Jaylen Waddle and another coming off a trick look involving Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant.
For Payton, the moves stood out because they ran against his usual preference to avoid going for two that early. It was the kind of in-game shift that can define a close win, especially when a team is trying to claw back against a quality opponent. The Broncos got the result they needed, but the more interesting part may be what it says about how far Payton is willing to push the envelope when the moment calls for it. [Read more 🡒]
J.K. Dobbins Is Raising A Bigger Broncos Concern Than Fans Expected
J.K. Dobbins arrived in Denver with the expectation that he could give the Broncos a steadier presence in the backfield, but the early returns have been more complicated than anyone wanted. His rushing average has slipped to 3.5 yards per carry to start the 2026 season, a steep drop from a career mark above 5.0, and the numbers around him are just as thin: four first downs, no touchdowns and one fumble.
The bigger issue is what the film appears to show. Analyst Cecil Lammey pointed to Dobbins hesitation and reduced explosiveness, suggesting injuries may be part of the problem even with solid run blocking in front of him. He also left a game early with a possible hamstring injury, and for a Broncos offense that expected more stability there, the concern now is whether this is a temporary dip or something that could linger. [Read more 🡒]