DENVER — For the second consecutive week, Denver's defense made plays when it mattered most.
During a seemingly promising Seattle drive in the second quarter.
Late in the fourth quarter to stop what could have been a game-winning Seahawks drive.
And in overtime, to set up a game-winning field goal.
Wearing their 1977-inspired throwback uniforms, the Broncos' defense honored the Orange Crush era the best way they knew how: with yet another dominant defensive performance.
"Defensively, we were magnificent," Head Coach Sean Payton said following the Broncos' 17-14 overtime win against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. "I don't know how many times we hit the quarterback. We got three takeaways. We felt like that was going to be a big deal in this game, being smart with the football. … Two years in a row, we beat the [reigning] Super Bowl team, and that's not easy to do."
For the third time in six games this season, the Broncos' defense generated two turnovers following the start of the fourth quarter. Late in the final frame of Thursday's win, quarterback Sam Darnold seemed well-positioned to lead the Seahawks down the field to secure the go-ahead score. Seattle was trailing 14-11, and Darnold had just connected with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a 32-yard pickup before the two-minute warning.
Facing a third-and-1 from the Denver 39-yard line, though, Darnold attempted a pass to wide receiver Tory Horton. Cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine stepped in front of the pass to secure his first interception of the 2026 season and give the Broncos' offense the ball back.
"They were fantastic," quarterback Bo Nix said of Denver's defense. "They contributed to that win probably bigger than anyone else, any group for sure. We don't win that game without them."
The Seahawks were ultimately able to add a field goal and tie the game on the ensuing possession, but in overtime, Denver's defense once again rose to the occasion. Seattle had the ball to begin the overtime period, and facing a third-and-7 with the game on the line, Darnold attempted to find wide receiver Rashid Shaheed for a first down.
Cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian, however, read the pass perfectly and secured the interception in Seattle territory, ultimately setting up kicker Wil Lutz's 53-yard game-winning field goal.
"Who doesn't want to make that play, get an interception or force a turnover?" McMillian said following the win. "I've been wanting to get a turnover. It finally came to me. I kind of let the plays come to me. I'm just glad I was able to make a play for my team."
The takeaways came in bunches late, but Denver's defensive dominance was on display even early in Thursday's win. The Broncos kept Seattle out of the red zone until the fourth quarter and sacked Darnold twice on the team's opening drive. Even when the Seahawks began a second-quarter drive near midfield and appeared poised to make their first red-zone trip, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto forced a fumble that inside linebacker Justin Strnad recovered to give the ball back to Denver's offense.
It was a sign of things to come for the unit, who finished the game with the aforementioned three total takeaways in addition to five sacks — both numbers matching season-high marks for the unit. The Broncos also hit Darnold 17 times and pressured him on more than 20 snaps.
"We knew we were going to get after [Darnold] tonight," Strnad said following the win. "That was part of the plan, and I think we did that."
Four of Denver's five sacks came on third down, and seven different players — defensive lineman Zach Allen, McMillian, Bonitto, Strnad, outside linebacker Jonah Elliss, outside linebacker Que Robinson and defensive tackle Malcolm Roach — contributed at least half a sack in Thursday's win.
Elliss' sack, which was his first of the 2026 season, notably resulted in a 5-yard loss that lengthened the ensuing field-goal attempt for Seahawks kicker Jason Myers. The missed field goal allowed Denver to keep a two-possession lead early in the second half of a game in which every point ultimately mattered.
"[Defensive Coordinator] Vance [Joseph] is always elite at what he does," Strnad said. "There were so many calls tonight that he put us in the perfect position. Great calls. He does it week in, week out."
Abrams-Draine, who said Thursday's performance was a display of the "high standard" that Denver's defense always aims to play with, believes that there is even more that the unit can accomplish. Now with 10 total turnovers and 18 sacks through six games, the Broncos' defense will aim to continue upholding and elevating that standard.
"We pride ourselves on being a dominant unit," Strnad said. "I thought we were every bit of that tonight. We're just going to keep it rolling, week in week out. Our team's just going to keep getting better."
