Division rivals are supposed to be the ultimate enemies for NFL teams and their fans. However, losing to a team in the Super Bowl tends to make those squads even more hated than the ones they face twice a year—and that antipathy lasts forever.
So, the New England Patriots and the Denver Broncos hold a special place in the hearts of Carolina Panthers fans—and not in a good way.
They may not be able to avenge their loss from Super Bowl 50, but the Panthers will get a chance to swipe back at the Broncos here in Week 9. While Carolina has lost two straight in humiliating fashion, Denver just beat Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in an impressive comeback—and kept a pretty remarkable streak going.
As Michael Silver at The Athletic writes,
the Broncos have now won 15 consecutive one-score games:
However, the Broncos (6-2) repelled the Chiefs (5-2) four times to take over first place in the AFC West and extend an impressive streak: Denver has now won 15 consecutive one-score games in the regular season, tying an NFL record held by Peyton Manning’s 2008 Colts.
That's an insane run—and much of the credit probably goes to the coaching. While Broncos head coach Sean Payton isn't the cuddliest character in the NFL, he knows his business.
So, even if the Panthers can make this a close game coming down to the finish, the odds are against them.
History is also not on their side. Carolina is just 2-7 all-time against Denver, with the most recent meeting, from 2024, ending in a 28-14 loss. Quarterback Bo Nix went 28-of-37 for 284 yards and three touchdowns, while Bryce Young was 24-of-37 for 224 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
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This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Broncos have incredible close-game streak going into Week 9 matchup vs. Panthers
