HOUSTON — The Broncos keep finding a way.
Facing their fourth fourth-quarter deficit in five weeks, the Broncos scored the final 11 points of the game to earn an 18-15 win and improve to 7-2.
The Broncos overcame a pair of first-half turnovers to score 11 second-half points, which was just enough to knock off the Texans and their top-ranked defense. Denver entered the game with the league's best fourth-quarter point differential, and the team only added to that mark on Sunday.
While the offense battled, the Broncos' defense kept Denver in the mix. Facing reserve quarterback Davis Mills for much of the game after C.J. Stroud exited due to injury, Denver's vaunted defense held Houston without a touchdown and allowed just one third-down conversion over Houston's final 15 attempts.
The Broncos leave Houston with a third consecutive road win and continue a six-game winning streak that is tied for the longest in the NFL.
These were the players and plays that made the difference in the Broncos' Week 9 win over the Houston Texans.
GAME-CHANGING MOMENT
With as few as 74 seconds remaining in the game, it still wasn't clear what would go here. The Broncos' first-half red-zone stops kept Denver alive in the game, while Troy Franklin's impressive two-point conversion catch to tie the game with 12:28 to go also merits consideration. But the game remained undecided until the final moments. After Houston regained possession with 1:14 to play and a chance to take the lead, Denver forced a three-and-out — the unit's fifth in the previous six possessions — that took just 14 seconds off the clock. Denver's offense got the ball back at their own 36-yard line, and Bo Nix made a play. On second-and-7 from the Denver 39-yard line, Nix ran the ball for just the second time in the game — and took off for a 25-yard gain that pushed the ball to the edge of field-goal range. A few plays later, Wil Lutz drilled a 34-yard kick to give Denver the win.
DEFINING STATISTIC
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The Broncos' defense allowed five field goals through the first three quarters, but the unit kept Houston out of the end zone and allowed no touchdowns on the afternoon. Twice, Houston had the ball on the doorstep of the end zone. In the first quarter, Denver held on three consecutive snaps from the 1-yard line to hold Houston to a 3-0 lead. Then, midway through the second quarter, the Broncos held the Texans on two consecutive plays from the 2-yard line. The Broncos' No. 1 red-zone defense showed up in big spots, which kept Denver in the game. Either of the Broncos' goal-line stops could easily be considered a game-changing moment in Denver's win.
MEMORABLE HIGHLIGHT
A play after Nix appeared to misfire on a throw to Evan Engram, he connected with Courtland Sutton down the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown pass that gave Denver a first-half lead. The play marked the first touchdown of at least 20 air yards that Houston's top-ranked offense has allowed this season.
BOX-SCORE STANDOUTS
Zach Allen recorded a sack, three quarterback hits, a tackle for loss, two passes defensed and five tackles as Denver's defense kept Houston out of the end zone.
Jonathon Cooper and Dre Greenlaw also finished with solo sacks in the game.
Running back RJ Harvey caught a critical touchdown early in the fourth quarter, which marked his fourth receiving touchdown of the season. Harvey now has the most receiving touchdowns by a rookie running back in franchise history.
