PHILADELPHIA — The Hail Mary attempt caromed once off a pile of outstretched arms and then to the grass.
And as the ball settled, the Broncos had earned their signature victory of the early portion of the season.
Denver overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit, scoring 18 consecutive points en route to a 21-17 win over the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles.
The Broncos entered the fourth quarter 1-112 all-time when facing a deficit of at least 14 points on the road. In dramatic fashion, they added another tally to the win column.
Bo Nix led three consecutive scoring drives, the Denver defense held Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley largely in check and the Broncos snapped the Eagles' 10-game winning streak.
In the Broncos' largest fourth-quarter comeback since a 2023 win over the Bears, Denver capitalized on late opportunities to improve to 3-2 on the season and earn a statement win.
These were the players and plays that led the Broncos to an improbable win.
GAME-CHANGING MOMENT
There was seemingly no magic moment in this game.
There wasn't a single play that flipped it on its head and pushed momentum back in the Broncos' direction. Instead, Denver just started to gain an edge through a series of key plays. There were, however, plays that the Broncos likely wouldn't have won the game without. One of those came on third-and-15 from the Philadelphia 45-yard line with 8:17 to play and the Broncos trailing by seven points. Denver had just seemingly converted a fourth down, but they were hit with an offensive pass interference call that wiped out the conversion.
On third-and-long, Nix hung in the pocket and delivered an on-target throw in traffic to Courtland Sutton right at the sticks. Sutton then broke through a tackle and took off to pick up nearly another 20 yards. On the next play, Nix hit Evan Engram for what would become the go-ahead score. Denver still had to sweat out the final few minutes, but Sutton's catch was the difference between a go-ahead touchdown and having to convert a difficult fourth down to stay in the game.
DEFINING STATISTIC
158 yards vs. 42 yards
After the Eagles looked to be in control for much of the game, Denver surged past Philadelphia in the final frame. The Broncos recorded three scoring drives — the first of which traveled about 40 yards at the end of the third quarter — to earn the win. Philadelphia, meanwhile, went three-and-out twice before a last-gasp Hail Mary fell incomplete. Denver's defense recorded three stops in the fourth quarter — and five consecutive holds to end the game — and the offense started to thrive. After scoring three points in the first three quarters, Denver's offense posted 18 points in the final 15 minutes. From big-time catches to key sacks, the Broncos posted a slew of plays to help earn the win.
MEMORABLE HIGHLIGHT
There was no hesitation after the Broncos scored their second touchdown, as the team immediately lined up to attempt a two-point conversion and go for the lead. Nix faked a handoff to J.K. Dobbins, rolled to his right and found Troy Franklin for the go-ahead points. It wasn't a jaw-dropping play or the most acrobatic catch, but it was a bold and daring call in enemy territory and ultimately handed the Broncos the win.
BOX-SCORE STANDOUTS
Quarterback Bo Nix completed 9-of-10 passes for 127 yards, a touchdown and a 152.1 passer rating as he led three consecutive scoring drives in the fourth quarter.
Wide receiver Courtland Sutton, meanwhile, caught four passes for 76 yards in the frame and finished with eight catches for 99 yards.
Tight end Evan Engram scored his first touchdown with the Broncos and also added an acrobatic catch to jump-start the Broncos' go-ahead drive.
Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto added another 2.5 sacks and now has the second-most sacks (7.0) in the first five weeks of a season in franchise history.
