Everybody keeps asking these Broncos the same question: “How does this keep happening?” And to date, nobody has a clear answer for why Denver’s comeback wins continue to defy NFL precedent.
The latest example? A 30-26 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night at Empower Field.
For the second straight week, Sean Payton called the game a “tale of two halves.” Offensive guard Ben Powers laughed and told a Denver Post reporter, “You tell me,” when asked how the Broncos keep completing these comebacks. Tight end Adam Trautman said it’s the team’s “trademark” at this point.
Here’s The Denver Post’s stock report on the win.
Talanoa Hufanga (9) of the Denver Broncos celebrates sacking Matthew Stafford (9) of the Los Angeles Rams during the fourth quarter of the Broncos’ 30-26 win at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Stock up
Talanoa Hufanga: If a player gets three different game balls, they probably deserve to be listed in the stock up section. Hufanga was arguably the Broncos’ best player Sunday night, making several game-changing plays against the Rams’ offense. His two interceptions and a third-down sack of Matthew Stafford prevented Los Angeles from adding to the scoreboard and put the game out of reach.
Hufanga was a second-team All-Pro last season, but did not make the Pro Bowl. Riley Moss told The Denver Post that Hufanga is on a campaign to prove himself as one of the best safeties in the NFL. His game Sunday night, in front of a national audience, was a strong start towards that.
Pass protection: Denver only surrendered one sack all night, when Rams linebacker Omar Speights beat Tyler Badie in pass protection. Other than that one blemish, the Broncos’ offensive line gave quarterback Bo Nix a relatively clean pocket. Quinn Meinerz even blocked Aaron Donald so hard that he received a random drug-test notice from the league on Monday. According to Pro Football Focus, Denver’s offensive line allowed only 14 pressures to the Rams’ defensive line.
Myles Garrett not suiting up for the Rams is a large caveat, but Los Angeles’ defensive line is still filled with great players. The Broncos’ front five is one of the highest-paid in football and they played like it Sunday night.
Vance Joseph: Joseph’s defense kept the Broncos in the game in the first half, then essentially won the contest in the second. Denver increased the heat on quarterback Stafford in the second half and it paid dividends. The Broncos generated pressure on 59.3% of dropbacks in the second half against the Rams after doing so on only 23.5% of dropbacks in the first half, according to Next Gen Stats. Stafford completed just 30% of his passes for 81 yards, taking four sacks and throwing a pick-six.
One of those pressure packages was Hufanga’s sack. Joseph installed the play earlier in the week, talking about it “all the time,” Hufanga said. He called the safety blitz on a third down, with the Rams nearing the red zone. Stafford never saw it coming and Hufanga had a clear path to the quarterback.
“That was VJ through and through,” Hufanga said. “You are a crazy coach and you know exactly what is going to happen.”
Brandon Jones (22) of the Denver Broncos breaks up a pass intended for Colby Parkinson (84) of the Los Angeles Rams during the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, September 27, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Brandon Jones: Hufanga’s safety partner had a strong showing Sunday night as well. Jones played every defensive snap but one, tallied 10 total tackles (with a missed tackle rate of 7.1%) and even recorded two pressures. The Texas graduate has been one of the Broncos’ steadiest defenders since he signed in 2024 and his game against the Rams was a perfect encapsulation of that.
Walton-Penner group: The Broncos’ ownership group got revenge for the 51-14 drubbing they took at the hands of Stan Kroenke’s Rams on Christmas Day in 2022. The group of Greg Penner, Carrie Walton-Penner and Rob Walton even got a game ball from Payton in the postgame. Payton tried to downplay the elevated stakes in the buildup to Sunday’s game, but the win had to feel extra sweet for the Walton-Penners.
Davante Adams (17) of the Los Angeles Rams hauls in a pass as Pat Surtain II (2) of the Denver Broncos defends during the fourth quarter of the Broncos’ 30-26 win at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Stock down
Patrick Surtain II: It’s easy to ignore Surtain when watching the Broncos. He typically takes away one side of the field, often going unnoticed by fans and opposing quarterbacks alike. Sunday was a different story. Davante Adams and Surtain have clashed several times since Surtain entered the league, starting with Adams saying “he’s not there yet” after he beat Surtain for a game-winning touchdown in 2022. Adams got the better of Surtain again Sunday night, posting seven receptions for 137 yards. After one Adams catch, Surtain clapped his hands together in a visible display of anger.
The two faced each other on 27 matchups in coverage in the first half against the Broncos. Adams hauled in four of his five targets for 71 yards, the most yards Surtain has allowed in coverage in any half in his career, according to Next Gen Stats.
“He made some plays, I made some plays. At the end of the day, a win is a win,” Surtain said.
Surtain’s one of the best cornerbacks in football, so there’s no reason for Broncos’ fans to be concerned. There are only so many Adams in the NFL, and Surtain should bounce back against an injury-ravaged 49ers wide receiver group next Sunday.
Run game: Through three games, the Broncos’ rushing attack has been one of the worst in football by all measurable metrics. Denver hasn’t succeeded in generating explosive runs (10 yards or more), it has struggled in third-and-shorts and it hasn’t been consistent running the ball on early downs.
The Broncos averaged 2.78 yards per carry on first-down runs against the Rams. J.K. Dobbins went backward on the first run of the game, a foreboding sign of the team’s ineffectiveness. At halftime, Dobbins, RJ Harvey and Badie had a total of seven carries for 17 yards.
“That kind of changes how you want to start the game,” Trautman said.
Denver’s offensive line has had some issues opening holes for the backs, but the Broncos are still eighth in the NFL in rush yards before contact. The team’s 1.85 yards after contact is the worst in the NFL, though.
Special teams
The Kolbe Katsis experience is something. On one hand, Katsis broke the franchise record for the most return yards by a player in his debut. He also muffed a punt, bobbled another and tried to hurdle a player before taking a massive hit. The usually steady Will Lutz also missed a field goal, while Rams kicker Harrison Mevis made all four of his attempts.
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