The vibes were absolutely electric—or maybe just chaotic—at the stadium Thursday night as the Denver Broncos scraped out a 17-14 overtime win against the Seattle Seahawks. It’s a massive W for Denver, who managed to close out a brutal six-game start to the season with a solid 4-2 record despite being lowkey crushed by injuries and a struggling offense.
A defensive deadlock
Real talk, this game wasn’t exactly an offensive masterclass. The Broncos’ offense punted on every single one of their second-half possessions, racking up only 168 total yards for the whole night. But the defense came through when it mattered most. After Seattle’s Sam Darnold threw a pick to Ja’Quan McMillian at the 43-yard line, Broncos kicker Wil Lutz walked onto the field and nailed a 53-yard field goal to end the drama.
"A defensive battle and that’s how we wanted it, and we finished on top," said Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton.
The plot thickens for Seattle
It’s officially an L-streak for the Seahawks. After losing for the second time in just five days, the reigning Super Bowl champs have already matched their entire loss total from last season. It’s giving major slump energy. Darnold struggled throughout the night, throwing two interceptions and failing to find the end zone despite Jaxon Smith-Njigba putting in the work with 134 receiving yards.
Even after Denver’s Kris Abrams-Draine almost sealed the deal with an interception late in the fourth, the Seahawks managed to force overtime thanks to a clutch 34-yard field goal from Jason Myers with only three seconds on the clock. It wasn't enough to save them, though.
Why it matters
The Broncos are proving they can survive a rough schedule despite being banged up, while the Seahawks are looking surprisingly vulnerable early in the season. With both teams now hitting the mid-season grind, Seattle has some serious soul-searching to do if they want to defend that title.
