DENVER (KDVR) — The Denver Broncos had fans on the edge of their seats with their faces buried in their hands or looking through fingers to watch the latest drama Sunday afternoon.
The Broncos entered the fourth quarter against the New York Giants down 19 points, and a loss was certainly looming.
After 15 minutes of game time, what seemed like a century, the Broncos somehow came away with a 33-32 win, and in doing so, became the team that had scored the most points in the fourth quarter after being eliminated from the first three, in NFL history. According to the NFL’s Senior NFL Inside Adam Schefter on ESPN.
First landing
With 14:08 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Broncos finally got on the board, scoring a touchdown, after Bo Nix threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin. This was followed by a successful two-point conversion off a Nix pass to Courtland Sutton.
The score was 8-19, and the Broncos saw a sliver of light at the end of the tunnel.
Reality check
The Giants were quick to thwart any comeback attempt and scored, converting the PAT, bringing the score to 8-26 in their favour.
The Giants’ offense left the field, certainly thinking they had confirmed the win, but in sports, the old saying goes: “Anything is possible.”
Dreamers
The Broncos could have surrendered an 8-26 lead with five minutes left, but they couldn’t have sent the fans home with a loss.
At the 5:13 mark, the Knicks rushed seven yards for a touchdown.
Another two-point conversion was completed, with Franklin on the end of a Knicks pass into the end zone for the second time of the day.
The Broncos trailed 16-26.
The Broncos’ struggling defense stopped the Giants’ lead in the blink of an eye, and the Knicks were back behind the ball in about a minute.
Another successful drive ended with Nix’s two-yard touchdown pass to rookie running back RJ Harvey. Kicker Wil Lutz nailed the PAT, and the Broncos were within a field goal to tie the game at 23-26.
Once again, the Broncos D didn’t give the Giants an inch of space, as the Broncos offense got back down the field about a minute in, after Justin Strnad intercepted the pass.
Not satisfied with the tie, the Broncos had another quick drive that ended with an 18-yard rushing touchdown for the Knicks. Lutz hit the PAT, and the Broncos took their first lead, with just 1:51 remaining in the game.
nightmare
Two quick stops by the Broncos were crucial going forward, but the Giants flipped the script and executed their own quick drive.
The Broncos’ defense was falling apart, and before they knew it, Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart sealed the drive with a so-called zero-yard rushing attempt just short of the end zone, but upon review, it was ruled a one-yard rushing touchdown. The Giants led by two with 37 seconds left.
Don’t give them hope
Giants kicker Judd McAtmanney missed a PAT, which would have put the Giants up by three, or in a position to at least tie the game if the Broncos could get a late field goal, but the mistake put the Giants up by only two, with about a half-minute remaining in the game.
Like a thief in the night
On the final drive of the game, the Knicks hit Marvin Mims Jr. for a 29-yard pass. The team drove forward, and the Knicks punted, leaving the game in Lutz’s hands or feet.
He hit a 39-yard field goal at the death to secure the 33-32 win.
After the team’s only two losses were on field goals at the death, this must have been cathartic for the Broncos.
The final whistle signaled the end of an emotional comeback that seemed to fail twice, and it also marked the end of a historic comeback that left its mark on NFL history.