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The Good, Bad, & Ugly from Broncos' Wild Comeback Win Over Giants

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Dylan Von Arx | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 11:45 AM ET

The Denver Broncos completed an improbable comeback against the New York Giants, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat in a 33-32 signature win. Denver struggled mightily through the first three quarters of play on both sides of the ball, but it was as if the spirit of the Super Bowl 50 team and Demaryius Thomas willed them to victory, beating the Giants into submission with 33 points in the fourth quarter.

There’s plenty of ugly to sort through in this contest, but let's start with the positive that shone through the darkness.

The Good: Broncos Are Closers

The Broncos didn’t just close out a nailbiter; they rallied from a 0-19 deficit to score 33 points and came away with the victory. This team had more fight against the Giants than they’ve had in a decade, and as the boos reigned down and the fans started leaving, the Broncos never quit.

Bo Nix played awful for most of the game, but when it was time to make a statement, he delivered in the clutch with four total touchdowns. This matchup, coupled with the comeback win over the Eagles, means the Broncos are finally finding an identity and building a mindset of winning no matter how ugly and dysfunctional things get.

If the Broncos' offense can find more consistency, they’ll be a dangerous team that’s relentless in their pursuit to win the football game, no matter the opponent, no matter the deficit.

The Bad: Uninspired Offense

The number of screen and swing passes called by the Broncos reached levels that brought every fan to their absolute limits. The worst part is that no matter who was blocking on these passes, the Broncos couldn’t get any push, resulting in several yardage losses.

The Broncos’ offense only crossed the 50-yard line once in the first half and were shut out 0-13 going into the half. When they did get to the red zone, head coach oach Sean Payton decided to dial up pass plays despite being on the five-yard line with a tandem of J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey starving for touches. Payton’s unwillingness to run the ball has made life difficult for Nix and the rest of the offense as they’ve become one-dimensional.

If the lack of creativity and situational blunders persist, don’t expect the Broncos to be able to pull out Mile High Magic tricks every week.

The Ugly: Crippling Penalties

Week after week after week, we still have to talk about the absurd number of penalties that the Broncos commit each week. Denver’s defense had the bulk of the blunders this week, from costly pass interferences to jumpy linemen. Patrick Surtain II and Nik Bonitto both jumped offside, setting up Jaxson Dart and the Giants with much more manageable downs.

Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, and Riley Moss all had back-breaking pass interference infractions that extended drives and set up touchdowns. The Broncos finished the day with 12 penalties for 127 yards, which is unacceptable for a Payton-coached team, but it’s been the norm as of late.

Something needs to change in the coaching staff to reel in all these boneheaded mistakes because whatever they’re doing now is not working.

The Broncos’ victory over the Giants is their best win in recent memory and could boost their confidence to the moon. While they shouldn’t wait till the fourth quarter to start locking in, being able to hang in late, even down multiple scores and deliver in the clutch, coming away with a victory is an important attribute for playoff-worthy teams.

This article first appeared on Denver Broncos on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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