Bonitto strip-sack seals Broncos victory over Panthers for fifth straight win

Nik Bonitto forced and recovered a late Bryce Young fumble as the Denver Broncos beat the Carolina Panthers 26-21 on Sunday in Charlotte. The Broncos' official match report confirmed their fifth consecutive victory, taking them to 7-2 ahead of their Week 10 bye after another game decided by a single score.

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Carolina had recovered from an early 10-point deficit to move ahead in the third quarter. According to the Guardian's live coverage, Young found Tommy Tremble for a 10-yard touchdown before half-time, although Wil Lutz's field goal left Denver 13-7 in front at the break. A subsequent touchdown pass to Darren Waller gave the Panthers a 14-13 lead.

The game turned when Denver successfully challenged an apparent incompletion near its own goal line. Devon Key had collected the deflected ball before it touched the ground, giving the visitors possession instead of leaving Carolina with another scoring opportunity. The Guardian reported that Denver then drove 80 yards in 14 plays, with Jonah Coleman's nine-yard touchdown run restoring the lead.

Denver missed the ensuing two-point attempt but later extended its advantage through Bo Nix's 26-yard touchdown pass to Pat Bryant. Carolina answered with another touchdown to close within five points. A mishandled Denver handoff then cost the visitors 18 yards, forcing a punt and handing the Panthers a late chance to complete their comeback, the Guardian reported.

Bonitto ended that opportunity by knocking the ball from Young and recovering it himself. Denver's report identified the play as his first strip-sack of the season. It also noted that Key's earlier interception was the first of his career, making two defensive takeaways central to preserving the lead and preventing Carolina from adding further points when threatening to score.

Bryant led Denver's receivers with 56 yards in his first game back from injured reserve, while Coleman scored a rushing touchdown for the second consecutive game. The Broncos converted six of their 10 third-down opportunities, their best rate of the season. Denver's official account also recorded a third successive road victory, improving the team's away record to 3-2.