Sunday Night Football: Broncos score their only TD with 1:03 left to steal a 21-20 win
A Broncos' victory should have been as easy as 1-2-3. That's how many takeaways Denver had on Sunday Night Football.
It was anything but easy.
The Broncos scored their first touchdown with 1:03 remaining on a 15-yard reception by Courtland Sutton over Mekhi Blackmon, delivering a 21-20 victory.
It was Denver's fourth win in a row and it ended Minnesota's winning streak at five games. The Broncos now are 5-5, while the Vikings fell to 6-5.
Broncos running back Samaje Perine had four receptions for 40 yards and three first downs on the 10-play, 75-yard game-winning drive. Sutton converted a fourth-and-3 with a one-handed reception for 13 yards despite having his jersey grabbed by Ivan Pace Jr., who drew a flag for pass interference.
The Vikings, who had control of the game until Denver's only touchdown, got the ball back with 1:03 left needing only a field goal to win. They got only to their own 36 before the Broncos applied the pressure to Joshua Dobbs and pushed them backward before Dobbs' fourth-and-25 pass fell incomplete.
The Broncos forced three Vikings turnovers but scored only nine points off the takeaways. Cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian had a fumble recovery and an interception, setting the Broncos up at the Minnesota 30 and Minnesota 9.
Denver has 12 takeaways in three games, with five against the Chiefs, four against the Bills and three on Sunday night.
The Broncos went 1-for-5 in the red zone, though, in keeping kicker Wil Lutz busy. He had field goals of 31, 31, 52, 37 and 28, falling one short of the team's franchise record of six field goals in a game by Brandon McManus.
Russell Wilson finished 27-of-35 for 259 yards and a touchdown, with Sutton catching four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown.
The Vikings outgained the Broncos 385 to 295. They got a fake punt with 8:37 left, picking up a first down on fourth-and-four on a 31-yard run by upback Ty Chandler. Minnesota, though, couldn't punch it in and settled for a field goal and a 20-15 lead with 3:17 left.
It didn't hold.
Dobbs went 20-of-32 for 221 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He lost a fumble. Alexander Mattison had 18 carries for 81 yards and lost a fumble.
