The Denver Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 28-14 in Week 8, bringing their season record to 5-3 and marking their second consecutive win. The Broncos now have five wins from their last six games, with their only recent loss to division rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers, in Week 6.
However, Broncos head coach Sean Payton remained grounded about the win. He was candid about the Panthers’ struggles, who, at 1-7, turned to rookie quarterback Bryce Young following Andy Dalton’s recent car accident.
“I wish we would have finished better,” Payton said on October 27. “It’s not a strong offense we faced. That’s just the reality. We expected this, and we’ll be up against stronger teams soon.”
The Broncos built their lead with a big second quarter, scoring 21 points. Despite Carolina’s offseason hire of offensive-minded head coach Dave Canales, they came into the game ranked 28th in points and 29th in yards gained. Their defense was also struggling, ranking last or near the bottom in major categories.
Rookie QB Bo Nix had an impressive performance, completing 75.6% of his passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions. Nix was particularly sharp in the second quarter, where he threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns, adding a rushing score as well.
While the Broncos secured the win, Payton expressed frustration with turnovers, stressing that mistakes like those could be costly in bigger games. “The key thing is that their expectations should align with mine,” Payton noted. “In higher-stakes games, some of those errors would hurt us, so we need to address them.”
Although Nix himself avoided turnovers, both Courtland Sutton and Lil’Jordan Humphrey fumbled the ball. Following the game, Nix reflected on Payton’s high standards, seeing them as a sign of respect. “To have high expectations for a player shows you see potential. It’s respect. We work hard because we believe in those standards,” Nix said.
The game also saw a tense moment between Payton and Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn. After the game, Horn confronted Payton on the field, accusing the Broncos of trying to run up the score. Payton, who previously coached Horn’s father, Joe Horn, shrugged off the interaction, saying he didn’t fully understand the exchange but noted Horn’s frustration.
The game wrapped up with some notable plays: a fake field goal attempt by the Broncos, which failed, and a later interception by Ja’Quan McMillan on Bryce Young. Despite a Panthers’ touchdown late in the game, an unsuccessful onside kick allowed the Broncos to secure the victory by running out the clock. The Broncos will face the Baltimore Ravens, who lost to the Browns in Week 8, in their next game.
