The Denver Broncos earned their fifth straight victory on Sunday and improved to 7-2 on the season with a 26-21 win over the Carolina Panthers. The game featured a pair of momentum-changing interceptions, the second of which went the Broncos' way.
Leading 10-0 in the second quarter and driving for another score, the Broncos turned the ball over when Bo Nix had a pass intercepted by Panthers defensive back Corey Thornton. After threatening to go up by at least 13 points with a field goal, Denver saw its lead narrowed to three after the Panthers turned that interception into a touchdown after a 14-play drive.
It seemed like it was all Panthers from that point on. They took a 14-13 lead after a 15-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to Darren Waller
to open the second half. After the Broncos were forced to punt on their next drive, the Panthers drove down to the Denver 1-yard line, where they had a first-and-goal. That's when this happened:
Broncos win the challenge: Ball never touched the ground and Devon Key is awarded an interception.https://t.co/vh81BZ7Gdk pic.twitter.com/JV7BRmPcKc
— Jon Heath (@ByJonHeath) November 8, 2026
It was the first career interception for Devon Key, who was filling in while both starting safeties, Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones, were out with injuries. No one, perhaps even Key, felt it was an interception at first. Head coach Sean Payton barely got the challenge flag down in time. In fact, the Panthers did snap the ball and run a play, but the red flag was out.
Bryce Young chimes in on game-changing play.
After the game, Carolina quarterback Bryce Young called it a "first for me at any level," but he tried not to make it an excuse, saying, "We should never be relying on refs".
Bryce Young on the replay review after Panthers had run a subsequent play: “That’s a first for me in football at any level.” pic.twitter.com/Q0hZK8vaHm
— Joe Person (@josephperson) November 8, 2026
Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard was careful with his comments after the game because he said he didn't want to be fined.
"The fact that we got another play off and ran it, I'm not trying to get fined so I'm just going to keep my words to myself."
— Chase Justice WYFF News 4 (@ChaseJusticeTV) November 8, 2026
Chuba Hubbard on the overturned interception that resulted in the Panthers handing Denver the ball on the one yard line. #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/wKwMJaa3EB
This play is going to be seen as controversial, particularly if no video comes to light showing that Payton did get his flag thrown in time.
NFL VP of officiating Mark Butterworth told a pool reporter what #Broncos HC Sean Payton said in his news conference: The league was able to use replay angles to show that Payton threw his challenge flag before the Panthers ran the next play. That's why they were able to go to…
— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel) November 8, 2026
Following the game, Key gave credit to Ja'Quan McMillian for the decision to throw the flag at all. Key may not have even known he caught it without it hitting the ground, something Ross Tucker mentioned during the telecast.
In the end, the right call was made. Whether or not Payton got his flag thrown in time will be debated, but it was an interception and that wasn't debatable. The Broncos were able to turn that interception into a 9-yard touchdown run by Jonah Coleman after a 14-play drive, the same way Carolina had earlier in the day.
It was a game of momentum swings, and the Broncos were able to get the last one.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Bryce Young reacts to Broncos’ challenge being honored after ball was snapped
