Broncos' Biggest Winners & Losers in Massive Victory Over Seahawks

It wasn't pretty, but the Denver Broncos defeated the Seattle Seahawks in overtime 17-14. It was a slugfest that saw both sides play smothering defense.

But the Broncos prevailed. At 4-2, this team has more than survived its initial six-game gauntlet. Now, with an extra three days to rest and prepare for Week 7, perhaps the Broncos will have the breathing room to fix this putrid offense.

They did enough, though. As we sift through the aftermath of the Broncos' big win on Thursday Night Football, let's highlight the biggest winners and losers coming out of this game.

Winner: Kris Abrams-Draine | CB

KRIS ABRAMS-DRAINE PICKS OFF SAM DARNOLD 🤯#TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/Ss0BoN4EYo
— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) October 16, 2026

'KAD' was targeted a whopping 14 times by Sam Darnold, allowing eight completions for 89 yards. Five of those targets were aimed at Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but Abrams-Draine more than held his own against the All-Pro.

KAD had a key third-round pass breakup and a fourth-quarter interception. He's proven over the past 10 quarters of play that he's a starting-caliber cover corner.

Loser: Bo Nix | QB

Wrap your brain around this: Nix has defeated the defending Super Bowl champions in each of his three seasons as a pro. I wonder how many quarterbacks can say that?

Cool as that may be, Nix was cringe-worthy bad at times against Seattle, and his second-half performance was frustrating to watch. The Broncos punted on every second-half possession, but in the first half, he made some crucial throws and converted some big third downs on both of the offense's long touchdown drives.

Nix hasn't had it easy with this schedule and the caliber of defenses he's faced weekly, but that can't fully explain his obvious regression. The Broncos need to get to the bottom of what's going on between his ears quick because this brand of offense is not sustainable.

Winner: Jahdae Barron | CB

Barron gave up nine completions on 12 targets, but his coverage was physical and extremely sticky. It's just hard to stop a player of JSN's caliber.

Even on the deep ball Barron gave up to Rashid Shaheed, he could have had better coverage. The other side gets paid, too.

Barron has proven that all the "bust" talk this summer was egregiously premature.

Loser: Riley Moss | CB

Along with KAD, Barron's emergence makes you wonder whether Moss is expendable ahead of November's trade deadline. I doubt it, even though Moss is playing on an expiring contract.

The injuries Denver sustained at cornerback so quickly only hammers home the importance of being deep at this position. I doubt the Broncos will look to weaken one of their clear roster strengths, especially because this team is 4-2 and very much in the fight for the division and playoffs.

But you never know. Some people will argue that Moss has been put on notice. At least he gets a 10 days for that rib injury to hopefully heal up.

Winner: Ja'Quan McMillian | CB

McMillian deserves big props for continuing to play lights-out amid the injury issues at cornerback. He was a force against the Seahawks, notching a sack and a game-sealing interception in overtime.

Ja'Quan McMillian read this PERFECTLY.

SEAvsDEN on Prime Video
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/1igvuDtROG
— NFL (@NFL) October 16, 2026

He also finished with five solo tackles, while allowing just three completions on six targets for 23 yards. The Broncos should pay this kid when the Week 10 bye rolls around.

Loser: Marvin Mims Jr. | WR/R

Mims showed some woefully poor effort as a receiver, a theme that has to be bothering his coaches at this point. His magic as a returner has faded of late, though Seattle did its best to punt away from him.

He just seems disconnected, disinterested, and maybe it's because of his contract status. But energy like this isn't going to see the Broncos suddenly decide to extend him. Mims has to turn the ship around because he's at risk of getting benched as a receiver.

Winner: Que Robinson | OLB

Robinson has built up a huge head of steam, and he was once again a difference-maker against the Seahawks. Robinson notched a sack, batted down a pass, and finished with three tackles.

This kid finishes second on the team with six QB pressures. Robinson was a big reason why Darnold was so uncomfortable all night.

Winner: Jonah Elliss | OLB

I'm glad to see Elliss finally make the 'winners' column. He co-led the team with seven QB pressures, and notched his first sack of the season.

Alas, Elliss did suffer a lower-leg injury late in the game, so we'll be monitoring his status over the coming days. Ellis deserved a big day, and he finally got one.

Winner: Malcolm Roach | DL

Roach also had seven pressures — as an interior pass rusher — and got his hands on a half-sack. He was a complete terror throughout this game, despite getting banged up in the first half.

The Broncos' interior D-line was on fire against the Seahawks, and Roach, along with Zach Allen and D.J. Jones, deserves a lot of credit.

Winner: Wil Lutz | K

Lutz has missed three field goals this season, but he's been perfect on extra points. He needed a big moment, and he got one on Thursday night.

Following McMillian's overtime interception, Lutz kicked the 53-yard field goal to win a brutal, hard-fought game. He's been a bit more inconsistent this season, but he proved he can still be trusted with the game on the line.

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