In a brutal defensive battle, the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans dominated defensively all game long. Bo Nix and the offense was frustratingly inefficient with more three-and-outs than one could reasonably track during the game. However, they kept grinding and scored touchdowns where the Texans scored field goals. It all came down to one play and Bo Nix made that play on a 25-yard scramble with under a minute left in the fourth quarter to setup the game-winning field goal attempt by Wil Lutz.

This team is winning in every way imaginable. At 7-2, they are in firm control of their own destiny heading into the middle part of their schedule.

Broncos vs. Texans final score

Team1st2nd3rd4thFinalDenver Broncos0701118Houston Texans393015

While the score in the first quarter was just a single field goal, both teams were moving the football early. A missed field goal on the Texans first drive and a blocked Wil Lutz field goal on the Broncos first drive resulted in no points being scored. However, that defense for Denver woke up at a Texans first and goal from the one yard line. They would stuff three straight runs before a false start penalty would force Houston to settle for the field goal.

Texans 3, Broncos 0. Full first quarter recap.

Denver’s offensive woes continued throughout the first half, but they had one drive where Bo Nix threw on every down and it would end with this beautiful toss to Courtland Sutton for their only points of that first half.

However, despite C.J. Stroud being knocked out with a concussion, the Texans offense continued to make headway with three more field goals in the second quarter. The last came from a brutal muffed punt by Michael Bandy who was only in the game because special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi forgot to sub Marvin Mims Jr. during last week’s blowout win and he ended up with a concussion late.

The lack of offense was a concern for Denver at halftime with Houston having possessed the ball for over 22 minutes in the first half.

Texans 12, Broncos 7. Full second quarter recap.

In the third quarter, the Texans would add another field goal to their lead. However, the entire quarter was mostly just a back-and-forth display of good defense and dismal offense — especially from the Broncos offense. With multiple three-and-outs and abysmal play. They did get some momentum late in the quarter with two completions from Nix to Troy Franklin to get them into the Texans side of the field as the third quarter came to an end.

Texans 15, Broncos 7. Full third quarter recap.

That good start to the drive at the end of the third quarter nearly ended short of field goal range, but rookie Pat Bryant fought his way through a tackle to just barely get the first down. That would spring drive culminating on a wheel route by RJ Harvey who was wide open for the touchdown.

Bo Nix would then find Troy Franklin in the end zone for the two-point conversion to tie the game up early in the fourth quarter.

After getting out to midfield behind two quick passes to wide open tight ends, the Texans offense stalled a bit. A near interception by Talanoa Hufanga on a deep pass to Nico Collins and then a delay of game put Houston into a second and 15 that quickly turned into a third and 15. Davis Mills had a receiver wide open over the middle deep, but just overthrew him to bring out the punt unit.

Four straight three-and-outs by both the Broncos and Texans offenses, though, kept the game hanging in the balance throughout the entire final quarter.

The first down drought finally ended on a screen pass to RJ Harvey as the clock ticked under four minutes in the game. That looked like it would be it for them, but on third and 11, Nix found Pat Bryant open over the middle of the field for 13 yards and one of the biggest conversions of the game to bring the game to the two minute warning.

A short run by Nix on the next play only gained a couple to get the Broncos near midfield. That would be all the yards they’d get and would be forced to punt it away with less than 90 seconds left in regulation. Shockingly, the Texans went three and out without either team using a timeout or needing to getting the ball back to Denver at their own 36-yard line with just under a minute left in the game.

Nix found Harvey for a short gain, then on second down Nix scrambled for a 25-yard gain into field goal range for the biggest play of the game. JK Dobbins then ripped off a nine yard run on the next play. Nix would run it again for another 10 yards to setup the game-winning field goal attempt by Wil Lutz from 34-yard outs.