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Broncos’ battered defense seals OT win as Lutz boots 53-yarder to down Seahawks
Ja’Quan McMillian’s overtime interception set up Wil Lutz’s 53-yard field goal as Denver held on for a 17-14 victory at Empower Field at Mile High.
Ja’Quan McMillian turned the tide in overtime when he intercepted Sam Darnold at the Broncos’ 43-yard line, and Wil Lutz followed with a 53-yard field goal to lift Denver to a 17-14 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night at Empower Field at Mile High. The win moved the injury-riddled Broncos to 4-2, while Seattle fell to 3-3.
The final box score belied how little Denver’s offense produced. Bo Nix completed 17 of 27 passes for just 107 yards, J.K. Dobbins led the ground game with 41 rushing yards, and the Broncos managed only three first downs and 168 total yards. “I don’t know where the disconnect is right now,” Nix said, admitting Denver is struggling to generate explosive plays.
Denver’s depleted defense again carried the team, pounding Sam Darnold’s pocket—he was hit 17 times—and piling up five sacks. Darnold finished 27-of-51 for 278 yards and two interceptions, and Payton applauded the unit’s effort: “Defensively, we were magnificent,” while also conceding the team’s 4-2 mark “could easily be 2-4.”
Seattle rallied late in regulation, capping an 11-0 burst over the final 5 1/2 minutes with Jason Myers’ 34-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game after Rashid Shaheed’s 31-yard punt return set the drive up at midfield. Earlier, Denver built a 14-3 halftime lead on a 4-yard TD run by Dobbins and a 1-yard direct-snap score by R.J. Harvey; Seattle answered in the fourth when George Holani plunged in from a yard out and Darnold hit Shaheed for the two-point conversion. The game featured momentum swings and turnovers — including Kris Abrams-Draine’s interception with 1:25 left in regulation that Denver failed to convert into a last-second finish — and left both clubs nursing injuries: Seattle lost TE Elijah Arroyo to an apparent right shoulder injury, while the Broncos were without CB Patrick Surtain II and S Talanoa Hufanga (ankles) and saw RB Tyler Badie hurt his thumb. Seattle now hosts Kansas City on Oct. 25; Denver hosts Arizona on Oct. 25.