Sean Payton sometimes likens 2-point plays to Christmas presents.

When you think you’ve got a good one, you just can’t wait to unwrap it.

As the Broncos prepared for Sunday night’s matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, Payton and the Denver offensive staff thought they had a bounty under the tree to pick from should they get in position to need a 2-point play, either in an actual post-touchdown situation or in a goal-to-go spot.

Turns out, the Broncos got into three over the course of the second half. They converted on a pair of critical 2-point conversions to erase a 16-point lead with a pair of touchdowns, then had another nifty call set up for quarterback Bo Nix that moved them to the doorstep of their go-ahead touchdown in the final minute of regulation.

Combined, they played a key role in Denver knocking off the Rams, 30-26 in dramatic fashion.

What’s interesting, though, is that Payton typically isn’t the type to go for 2 even in the down-16 situation in the middle of the third quarter as he did against the Rams.

The fact that Denver hadn’t scored and, just as importantly, that its defense had stiffened against L.A., pushed the veteran coach to be aggressive.

“I’m pretty conservative going for 2 if it’s the third quarter,” Payton said. “I would always say, is the score a low-scoring game? And I think the answer to that question was yes, 16-6. Had that score been anything like 23 (or more), I would’ve just kicked it.

“I usually don’t look at that chart until the fourth quarter. I’ll look at it in the third quarter if those numbers on that scoreboard are like they were, lower scoring.”

As for the plays themselves, the first one will go on the season highlight reel. Nix put a pass on Jaylen Waddle in the back corner of the end zone that could not have been more perfectly placed over defensive back Josh Wallace’s helmet.

Not only that, but Waddle can start and stop so quickly that he managed to run a double move — an out-and-up — despite starting just 13 yards from the back line of the end zone.

“Yeah, I don’t think I’ve ever played with someone who moves like him,” tight end Adam Trautman said. “There’s certain guys that you see run and cut and decelerate and that stuff and you’re like, ‘Whoa, that’s different.’ He’s the most different of anyone I’ve played with.”

Then on the next 2-point opportunity, the Broncos put Waddle, Pat Bryant, and Courtland Sutton to the right and motioned Sutton in. At the snap, Sutton faked like Nix was going to throw him a receiver screen. When nobody bit on the fake, Nix freelanced and threw a high ball to Bryant, who was boxing out his defender.

Bryant, after the game, said the same thing happened to the offense in practice, and he told Nix just to throw it up to him if they got a repeat in the game.

The Broncos had another unique look at the ready on second-and-goal from the 2-yard line in the final minute of the game. After trying a boot from the I-formation and ending up with an incompletion on first down, Denver went to a different look entirely on second down. Nix started in the gun with all five eligible receivers out, but the three bunched to his left were reserve offensive lineman Alex Palczewski, fullback Adam Prentice and tight end Nate Adkins.

Nix motioned running back J.K. Dobbins into the backfield and behind the quarterback to give the look like he was going to swing the ball to Dobbins as he headed out toward his big trio of blockers.

Instead, at the snap, Nix dashed with the ball to his right and dove for the pylon behind blocks from Mike McGlinchey and Adam Trautman. Originally ruled a touchdown, Nix ultimately was deemed to have been out of bounds inches short of the end zone.

One play later, he sneaked in the go-ahead touchdown.

The Broncos jump-started their comeback with a pair of 2-point conversions and completed it with another creative play from two-point territory.

Payton and offensive coordinator Davis Webb unwrapped the goods at just the right time.

“We had about four tonight that we absolutely loved,” Payton said. “It’s easier if you feel like you may know what you’re getting and you love it, but I think the score had everything to do with that.”

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