The Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers in Week 9 to move to 7-2 on the season, and 5-0 against the NFC South in the Bo Nix era. Denver rolls into the bye with a five-game win streak and every reason to have faith that this season could lead to a Super Bowl victory.
Denver, at one point in this game, had a 10-point lead against Carolina. It did feel like the same was slipping away. The Panthers had a first and goal from the Broncos one-yard line and had a one-point lead with a chance to break the game open a bit.
And on a play that looked like a routine incomplete pass, the Sean Payton and the Broncos actually challenged the play, as it ended up being an interception by Devon Key. The game speed didn't show that, but Denver somehow got a quick replay and were able to throw the challenge flag. However, not many thought that Payton threw the flag in time...
New angle shows the Denver Broncos did not get a favorable challenge from officials
This play was right after the Key interception, and while the video is grainy, you can see at the very top that Payton tosses his red challenge flag on the ground before the next play happened:
Maybe one of the better angles of the challenge flag timing. Taken from my seats @mike_e_kaye pic.twitter.com/w82VCugCmD
— Drew Dunn (@DunnDrew) November 9, 2026
If Payton threw this after the play ran, the previous play would not be able to be challenged, which is the key. On the main broadcast, it felt like the challenge flag came out way too late, but this angle shows that Payton did, in fact, get the flag out in time.
This ended up being a huge swing in the game, as the Broncos were able to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and ended up winning the game by five points. It's very likely that Carolina punches it in from the one-yard line had this play not been challenged, and if that happens, it's suddenly 21-13 Panthers if they kicked the extra point.
Instead, Denver got the ball back and ended up going up 26-14 after two touchdown drives. The challenge definitely felt a bit odd in the moment, as an entire play unfolded. After the game, Payton mentioned Evan Rothstein, who also got a game ball. He is the director of game management and directed Payton to challenge the play.
What we saw from the Broncos in that sequence and into the fourth quarter, outside of the botched toss play to Jonah Coleman, was a football team showing why they've won 21 regular season games since the start of 2025.
From top to bottom, the Broncos are a well-run team, and it shows on gamedays. Yes, no team is perfect, but that entire sequence with Payton, Rothstein, and the challenge was wonderfully done.
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