The Denver Broncos beat the Seattle Seahawks 17-14 in overtime on Thursday night at Empower Field, sealing the win when Wil Lutz kicked a 53-yard field goal in the extra period. The Seahawks Broncos clash turned on a decisive interception by Denver cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian, who picked off Sam Darnold at the Seattle 43 on the first possession of overtime.
Seattle had rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to force overtime, erasing a deficit that had stood since the second quarter. Jason Myers’ 34-yard field goal with three seconds left in regulation tied the game at 14, capping an eight-play, 38-yard drive that began after a 31-yard punt return by Rashid Shaheed.
Seahawks Broncos: How the Game Was Won and Lost
Denver struck first in the Seahawks Broncos matchup with two long touchdown drives in the second quarter, taking a 14-3 halftime lead after Seattle had opened the scoring with a first-quarter field goal. But the Broncos’ offense disappeared after the break, managing just 30 yards and two first downs in the second half while going 0-for-6 on third down.
Bo Nix was 7-of-12 for 29 yards over the final 30 minutes, and Denver finished the night with only 168 total yards. The Broncos’ defense carried the load, sacking Darnold five times, hitting him 17 times and pressuring him on 24 of his dropbacks. It was a relentless pass rush that never allowed Seattle’s offense to settle into a rhythm.
Seattle’s own mistakes kept the comeback from being completed. After scoring just three points on their first eight drives, the Seahawks finally broke through on an 11-play, 67-yard drive that ended with George Holani’s one-yard touchdown run. Darnold’s two-point pass to Shaheed pulled Seattle within 14-11 with 5:41 left.
Darnold finished 27-of-51 for 278 yards with two interceptions and a passer rating of 52.6, despite Seattle outgaining Denver 353 to 168 in the Seahawks Broncos meeting. He was intercepted once in the fourth quarter and again in overtime, and after the game he took responsibility, saying there was no way to sugarcoat the mistakes and that the turnovers were unacceptable. He also admitted he had gotten greedy on the decisive overtime throw.
The Broncos had not lost a home game when leading by 11 or more points in the fourth quarter since a 2004 loss to the Raiders. That streak survived Thursday, as Denver moved to 4-2 despite an injury-riddled roster and a shaky offense.
What the Seahawks Broncos Result Means Going Forward
For Seattle, the Seahawks Broncos loss dropped the defending champions to 3-3 and marked their second defeat in five days. The Seahawks matched their loss total from last season, when they won their second Super Bowl title, and now face growing questions about their quarterback after back-to-back turnover-filled performances.
Seattle’s defense did its part in the Seahawks Broncos game, holding Denver to three third-down conversions on 14 attempts and forcing six consecutive punts to end the second half. The unit allowed just 13 first downs, but the offense’s three turnovers and five sacks undid that work.
The Seahawks get an extended break before hosting the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 25 for Sunday Night Football at Lumen Field. The extra time could prove valuable as they try to steady an offense that had scored at least 29 points in each of its previous four games before Thursday. A win over Kansas City would get Seattle back above .500 and quiet the growing noise around the quarterback position.
Denver, meanwhile, survived a six-game opening stretch to reach 4-2, and the Seahawks Broncos outcome showed a defense capable of masking an inconsistent attack. If the Broncos can find any rhythm offensively, Thursday’s escape could look like a turning point in their season.
Thursday’s Seahawks Broncos finish was a reminder of how thin the margin is in the NFL. Seattle did nearly everything required to steal a road win in overtime, but two interceptions in crunch time – and a 53-yard kick – were the difference.