From his privileged position, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix could anticipate the outcome of the game. He watched as the Denver defense, specifically Nik Bonitto, their best pass rusher, prepared to secure an overtime victory against the Commanders. Nix was not mistaken. Bonitto deflected Marcus Mariota’s pass in a two-point conversion attempt, guaranteeing the Broncos’ victory with a final score of 27-26 in overtime.
In a game full of changes, where Washington tied the game in the last play of regulation, the Commanders responded to the Broncos’ touchdown at the beginning of overtime with an 11-play, 65-yard offensive drive. Terry McLaurin caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Mariota on fourth down and three yards to go. While the Commanders were preparing for the two-point conversion, the Broncos analyzed the offensive formation and called a timeout. During this time, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph adjusted the defensive strategy in the hope that Bonitto would have the opportunity to make a play.I knew what defense we were using and, somehow, I guessed the play, so I knew what was going to happen. I think the receiver might have been open, but Nik did a great job making that play.
Bo Nix
The Broncos were grouped together before the start of the play, with all 11 defenders within 4 yards of the line of scrimmage. Bonitto positioned himself outside the left shoulder of the Commanders’ left tackle, Laremy Tunsil. While the Commanders were trying to figure out the six players rushing against Mariota, Bonitto was left unblocked. He quickly closed in on Mariota, leaped as Mariota threw, and deflected the pass with his right hand, which had been in a cast since Week 3. It looked like McLaurin was open as Mariota was getting ready to throw.We call this a Kodak situation, where you have a timeout, the game is about to end, so you call the timeout, you regroup, you collect your thoughts. The challenge in those plays are the designed quarterback runs, which worried us… we went from one pressure to another. But there will be a free runner if you pressure the way we did. And you don’t know who the free runner will be because the protection… so they left Nik free and the moment and everything was great.
Sean Payton
Defensive coordinator Vance was doing a good job mixing zero and showing zero blitzes and dropping back. And then, on the two-point, he brought the zero. He knew he had to try to gain some depth and give our guy a chance. He made a play and that’s just how it is.
Marcus Mariota
Bonitto also mentioned that the time off “somehow helped us calm down a bit, to be able to get into what we could get into and achieve a stop.” The Broncos, especially Payton, believed they had secured the victory nine plays earlier, on a fourth down and six yards to go from Denver’s 41-yard line. Safety Brandon Jones had intercepted a deflected pass, but the play was nullified due to a pass interference penalty against safety Talanoa Hufanga. Payton, thinking the game was over, took off the headset she uses to communicate with Nix.I knew I was buying time. At that moment, I was just trying to make it difficult for him to throw the ball, and I ended up sacking him and we ended up winning the game.
Nik Bonitto
The Broncos secured their ninth consecutive victory, their longest winning streak since they won 11 in a row to close out the 2012 regular season. It was also the sixth game they played this season that was decided on the final play; they have a 4-2 record in those games.[That is] the first time for me in I don’t know how many years as a head coach where I took the radio out of the quarterback’s helmet. We didn’t get the sack, interference was called, it had never happened before.
Sean Payton
