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Broncos beat Seahawks on TNF

Sports · Heat 1.5 / 10 · 11 shows · 3h 37m airtime

The Denver Broncos beat the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football in Week 6 of the 2026 season, winning with Talanoa Hufanga, Jonathan Cooper and Patrick Surtain out. Sam Darnold threw two interceptions and lost a fumble behind a line that gave up five sacks, including an out-breaking route in field goal range with 90 seconds left. The discussion has moved to Bo Nix, who averaged 4.9 air yards per attempt and has thrown for under 200 yards four times this season, with Mark Schlereth calling for him to be benched, and to Seattle's offense, where Zach Charbonnet is expected back this week and defenses have bracketed Jaxon Smith-Njigba without a run game. Since the start of last year, Nix…

How 11 podcasts covered it

  1. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-13 (5:23 to 8:30)
    Tracks the Thursday line move and leans Seattle
    Betting segment on the Thursday night line: it opened Denver -2.5, moved to -3 between Sunday and Monday, while prediction markets held at 2.5 with Seattle getting more expensive. Leans Seattle on Denver's first-half offense and the Seahawks' turnovers.
    New angle: The Denver-Seattle line moved from two and a half to three between Sunday night and Monday.
  2. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-14 (14:34 to 18:25)
    Adds Darnold's EPA and success rate ranks
    Previews Seattle at Denver through Darnold's turnover rate and the missing run game, playing Brian Fleury's clip on tailoring the offense to him. Adds his season ranks in EPA per play and success rate, and Joe Mixon failing a physical.
    New angle: Darnold ranks 26th in EPA per play and 19th in success rate this season.
  3. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-14 (10:14 to 12:00)
    Previews the Thursday game and Seattle's injuries
    A short preview of the Thursday Denver-Seattle game between other segments: Seattle's top two backs are out, the defense is leaky, and Boye Mafe is gone. It sets up the matchup without adding anything to the record on it.
  4. First Things First, 2026-10-14 (1:56:31 to 2:01:54)
    Adds the sub-90 passer rating win rankings
    Previews Broncos-Seahawks by asking which quarterback the hosts trust more. The new material is a stat: since the start of last year, Nix and Darnold rank first and second in wins with a passer rating below 90, and Darnold has been sacked eight times with five interceptions over his last two games.
    New angle: Since the start of last year, Nix and Darnold rank first and second in wins with a passer rating below 90.
  5. First Take, 2026-10-15 (11:57 to 13:18)
    Previews Broncos-Seahawks with the hosts' picks
    Runs the picks segment for Thursday's Broncos-Seahawks game: Kimes and Stephen A. Smith take Seattle on the strength of its defense, one host takes Denver. Pure prediction, no new development in the game itself.
  6. The Dan Patrick Show, 2026-10-15 (17:53 to 20:10)
    Rates his concern for Denver's offense a 10
    Schlereth, on the call for the Broncos' next game, rates his concern for Denver's offense a 10 out of 10 and says the unit does nothing well. He blames Nix's lost confidence and unassigned middle linebackers on blocking assignments, and credits the defense for keeping Denver afloat.
    New angle: Schlereth says the Broncos would be 0-5 without their defense creating turnovers.
  7. The Dan Patrick Show, 2026-10-15 (5:41 to 8:30)
    Previews Denver's one-dimensional offense
    Previews the Denver-Seattle game through the Broncos' offense: the 26th-ranked scoring unit, a run game ranked 25th, and Nix's rushing average collapsing from 25 yards a game in 2024 to 7 now. Frames it as one-dimensional and predicts Seattle will tee off.
    New angle: Bo Nix averaged 25 rushing yards per game in 2024 and is averaging 7 this season.
  8. The Dan Patrick Show, 2026-10-15 (17:40 to 19:20)
    Previews Seahawks-Broncos through JSN's numbers
    Sets the night's game times, then previews Seahawks-Broncos through JSN: his 583 yards and seven touchdowns outpace all of Denver's wide receivers combined, and Denver's secondary is missing Surtain with Moss questionable.
    New angle: JSN has 583 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, more than all Denver wide receivers combined (529 yards, three).
  9. The Rich Eisen Show, 2026-10-15 (5:50 to 12:52)
    Previews a possible Super Bowl rematch
    Previews the Thursday night game as a near-rematch of a possible Super Bowl matchup, framing the stakes: Seattle falls to .500 with a loss, Denver stays behind Kansas City with a win. Stays in build-up mode, with no new reporting.
  10. The Right Time with Bomani Jones, 2026-10-15 (33:33 to 39:06)
    Previews the near-elimination stakes for the division
    Previews Seahawks-Broncos on Thursday night as a near-elimination game for the division, arguing the loser ends the week three games back and that early losses decide the single bye. Stays at the level of stakes and framing, with no new reporting on the matchup.
  11. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-15 (5:11 to 11:18)
    Defends Darnold against the week's criticism
    Defends Darnold against the week's criticism, arguing he is graded harsher than any other quarterback despite a Super Bowl and a 30-8 record over three seasons. Stays inside the Denver loss and the Seattle supporting-cast debate already on the record.
  12. The Pat McAfee Show, 2026-10-15 (0:23 to 2:12)
    Adds Macdonald's road spread record
    Opens the show with a Thursday night preview of Seahawks-Broncos, leaning on the altitude and Seattle's road record under Mike Macdonald. Adds a spread figure for Macdonald's road teams that the file did not have.
    New angle: Mike Macdonald's Seahawks are 16-3 against the spread on the road since 2024.
  13. The Pat McAfee Show, 2026-10-15 (21:20 to 25:58)
    Previews Nix's one-score streak
    Previews the Thursday night game with Chuck Pagano: Denver's slow starts, Nix's streak in one-score games, Seattle's four turnovers against San Francisco, and the injured Denver defenders. Sets up the matchup rather than reporting on it.
    New angle: Bo Nix has won 13 straight one-possession games, the longest regular-season streak since Peyton Manning's 15-gamer in 2008-09.
  14. The Pat McAfee Show, 2026-10-15 (1:01:18 to 1:03:32)
    Previews Seattle's top-ranked defense
    Pagano previews the Thursday night game: Seattle's top-ranked defense, JSN's production, Denver's pass rush and the communication question with Hufanga out. Analysis and matchup talk, no new development.
  15. The Pat McAfee Show, 2026-10-15 (1:18:41 to 1:25:25)
    Adds Joseph's note on early-down runs
    Herbstreit previews the Thursday night game and adds a first-hand detail: Vance Joseph told him teams are running on early and second-and-long downs to avoid Denver's pass rush, which he says explains the defense's lower sack numbers.
    New angle: Vance Joseph said teams are running on second and long to avoid Denver's pass rush, lowering its sack numbers.
  16. The Pat McAfee Show, 2026-10-15 (1:26:55 to 1:32:09)
    Previews Denver's downfield struggles
    Herbstreit previews the Denver-Seattle Thursday night game, saying Nix looks uncomfortable and the Broncos are among the league's worst at getting the ball downfield, which lets defenses compress the line. He adds that Nix has been sacked only six times but harassed by pressure.
    New angle: Bo Nix has been sacked six times this season.
  17. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-16 (2:02 to 3:37)
    Opens with reaction to the 17-14 win
    Opens the show with a minute of reaction to the Broncos' 17-14 Thursday night win, calling it one of the most remarkable and bewildering games they have seen, then sets up the conversation. No new facts, just the setup for the discussion that follows.
  18. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-16 (3:24 to 6:25)
    Picks the play the game turned on
    Picks the play the game turned on - Nix running out of bounds for a three-yard sack - and runs the real-time numbers: 0.6 air yards per completion, one completion past the sticks, and a single first down across the five drives after Denver's two touchdown drives.
    New angle: Bo Nix averaged 0.6 air yards per completion, with one completion beyond the sticks all game.
  19. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-16 (6:25 to 10:34)
    Breaks down the first-half play calling
    Breaks down the first half: Payton's situational play calling, the third-and-three shot off play action, the fourth-and-three run behind movement on Byron Murphy, and a front that dominated Abe Lucas and Seattle's rotating right guards. A detailed retelling of the win already on the record.
  20. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-16 (10:34 to 13:17)
    Picks out the depth that closed the game
    Picks out the defensive depth that closed the game: with the top corners out, Q Robinson pressured Darnold on the overtime interception and Abrams-Draine made the pick with about 90 seconds left.
    New angle: Q Robinson pressured Darnold on the interception and Chris Abrams-Draine made the pick with about 90 seconds left.
  21. The Athletic Football Show: A show about the NFL, 2026-10-16 (13:17 to 14:57)
    Breaks down the late third-and-eight screen call
    Breaks down the Broncos' third-and-eight call with a minute left: a slow-developing screen instead of a run to burn Seattle's last timeout, an incompletion that handed the ball back in a three-point game. Notes Nix sacked himself untouched multiple times but not when it was needed.
    New angle: On third and eight with a minute left, Denver threw a slow-developing screen instead of running to burn Seattle's final timeout.
  22. Pardon My Take, 2026-10-16 (14:55 to 20:10)
    Adds Denver's 2.9 yards per play
    Recaps the ugly Thursday night win and lands on the same quarterback questions as the week's coverage, but adds a fresh stat line: Denver's 2.9 yards per play, 13 first downs and six second-half punts, plus Matt Hasselbeck's on-record speculation that Darnold is still hurt from Week 1.
    New angle: Matt Hasselbeck speculated that Darnold may still be hurt from Week 1 and rushed himself back.
  23. Pardon My Take, 2026-10-16 (32:05 to 35:49)
    Recaps Fitzpatrick's criticism of Bo Nix
    Recaps Ryan Fitzpatrick's postgame criticism of Bo Nix and the numbers behind it - a 7.6-yard longest completion and 32 yards over the last 10 drives - then turns to whether Darnold is hurt and whether Seattle's schedule allows a soft landing. Stays inside the week's Broncos-Seahawks coverage.
  24. The Dan Le Batard Show, 2026-10-16 (40:01 to 47:06)
    Plays Fitzpatrick's critique and reacts
    Plays Fitzpatrick's critique in full and reacts to it, then runs through Nix's season rankings and the 13-3 short-passing record. A recap of the Thursday night fallout that stays inside the week's coverage.
  25. The Dan Patrick Show, 2026-10-16 (0:48 to 4:04)
    Breaks down Nix's screen-heavy passing
    Foxworth breaks down the Denver win and puts a number on Nix's conservatism: 40% of his passes were wide receiver screens or hitches, with open intermediate receivers passed up. He picks Denver's future over Seattle's and calls Darnold's year a repeat of last season.
    New angle: 40% of Bo Nix's passes against Seattle were wide receiver screens or hitches.
  26. The Dan Patrick Show, 2026-10-16 (7:09 to 9:25)
    Builds the poll around Denver's win
    Frames the hour's poll question around the Broncos' Thursday night win, replaying Fitzpatrick's critique of Nix and the 32 yards on Denver's final 10 drives. A recap of the week's coverage, with no new development.
  27. The Dan Patrick Show, 2026-10-16 (16:41 to 17:58)
    Recaps the overtime win through a fan's frustration
    Recaps the Broncos' overtime win through Todd Fritz's frustration, who says he yelled at the TV about Denver's conservative play calling in the final minutes and overtime. Reaction and opinion, staying inside the game coverage already on the record.
  28. The Dan Patrick Show, 2026-10-16 (19:25 to 22:43)
    Frames the win as good defense, bad quarterbacking
    Foxworth breaks down the overtime win as good defense tangled with bad quarterback play, arguing Nix has stopped attacking the middle of the field and lost athleticism after last year's injury. Mostly opinion and framing on top of the 40% screen-and-hitch figure already on the record.
  29. The Rich Eisen Show, 2026-10-16 (4:42 to 9:15)
    Reports Nix ranks 31st in yards per attempt
    Recaps the Thursday night win and the 32 yards over Denver's last 10 possessions, then goes to the quarterback: Nix's 5.6 yards per attempt ranks 31st among starters, and Dan Orlovsky said on Get Up that Nix looks like he does not want the ball in his hands.
    New angle: Nix's 5.6 yards per attempt ranks 31st among quarterbacks with three or more starts.
  30. The Rich Eisen Show, 2026-10-16 (9:24 to 12:09)
    Unpacks Fitzpatrick's postgame critique
    Plays and unpacks Fitzpatrick's postgame critique on Amazon Prime, crediting Carissa Thompson's follow-up for drawing it out. Recaps the overtime interception and the third-and-eight screen, staying inside the reaction already on the record.
  31. The Rich Eisen Show, 2026-10-16 (12:09 to 15:20)
    Reacts to Nix's postgame press conference
    Plays Nix's postgame press conference soundbite about the offense failing to find explosive plays and reads it as possible deflection, then lands on the same 168-yard, fewest-since-Elway-1983 framing already on the record. Reaction, not new ground.
  32. The Rich Eisen Show, 2026-10-16 (15:14 to 18:58)
    Previews Denver's next two games
    Looks ahead from the Seattle win to Denver's next two games, Arizona then Kansas City, and notes Jacoby Brissett sits just above Nix in yards per attempt. Also flags Waddle's 24 yards and Sutton's 19 as the receiving problem.
    New angle: Jacoby Brissett ranks just above Bo Nix in yards per attempt at 5.6.
  33. The Rich Eisen Show, 2026-10-16 (24:41 to 27:08)
    Analyzes Seattle's loss and 3-3 start
    McDermott walks through Seattle's 3-3 start and the Denver loss: the defense is elite, the offense has a new coordinator and missing running backs, and Darnold was sacked five times. He credits the second-half shift to targeting JSN, which opened the run game. Analysis of the same game, no new facts.
  34. Nightcap, 2026-10-16 (15:48 to 28:25)
    Breaks down Denver's five sacks and 17 hits
    Breaks down the Denver defense's five sacks, 17 quarterback hits and two interceptions, then turns to Bo Nix's pocket presence and check-downs. The numbers are mostly on the record; the one addition is a fuller defensive stat line and a comparison of Darnold's sack rate to last season.
    New angle: Denver's defense finished with five sacks, 17 quarterback hits, two interceptions and nine pass breakups.
  35. The Pat McAfee Show, 2026-10-16 (2:03 to 13:37)
    Adds Denver's 5.1 yards per dropback
    Recaps the overtime win and reads Sean Payton's postgame speech as a turnover-first game plan, then goes to a stat: Denver averages 5.1 yards per dropback, the worst of any Payton offense. Stays inside the Nix-Darnold frame the week's coverage built.
    New angle: Denver averages 5.1 yards per dropback, the worst of 24 Sean Payton offenses.
  36. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-16 (5:57 to 10:01)
    Argues the Seattle loss is on the roster
    Argues the Seattle loss is on the roster, not Darnold: Kubiak gone, both top backs hurt, ten sacks in five days and 51 throws. Adds a league-wide stat on 50-throw games and Darnold's play-action rating collapse, then plays his postgame comments.
    New angle: Darnold's play-action passer rating fell from 120 last season to 67 this season.
  37. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-16 (9:58 to 13:07)
    Debates whether Denver's close wins are luck
    Debates whether Denver's one-score run is luck or a formula, with a Tebow comparison and a Chiefs 11-0 parallel. Stays inside the week's Broncos-Seahawks coverage; the only new figure is a historical note about playoff wins.
  38. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-16 (10:20 to 13:03)
    Debates whether 15-2 in one-score games repeats
    Debates whether Denver's 15-2 record in one-score games is a repeatable formula or a heater, with McIntyre likening it to a poker run and the Tebow stretch and Cowherd calling it baked-in. Stays inside the numbers already on the record, then turns to what extension Nix will command.
  39. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-16 (32:31 to 38:43)
    Interviews Schlereth on sitting Nix
    Schlereth joins from Denver to argue Nix is playing scared and should sit, citing seven second-half possessions for 24 yards and a defense that played 82 plays. He defends Darnold's overtime pick as a Vance Joseph disguise. Retells the benching case already on the record.
  40. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-16 (40:25 to 42:27)
    Argues Denver's problem is Nix's pass chart
    After the Schlereth interview, Cowherd argues Denver's roster is excellent and the problem is Nix's pass chart, all behind the line of scrimmage. He floats Seattle trading for Mims and warns Payton not to crush Nix publicly. Opinion and reaction, no new development.
  41. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-16 (6:10 to 19:17)
    Adds Nix's record under six yards per attempt
    Danny Parkins runs through the Thursday night game and lands on a stat the card doesn't have: Nix is 13-3 lifetime when his yards per attempt is under six, while the rest of the league wins under 30% of those games. Also flags that Nix's second-half depth of target was behind the line of scrimmage.
    New angle: Bo Nix is 13-3 lifetime when his yards per attempt is under 6; the rest of the NFL wins under 30% of those games.
  42. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-16 (32:04 to 33:42)
    Plays the clip calling for Nix to sit
    Plays the Schlereth clip calling Bo Nix scared and calling for him to sit, then agrees and argues the Denver roster is top five or six and the close wins cannot continue. Reaction to the Seattle win, staying inside the bench-Nix debate already on the record.
  43. First Things First, 2026-10-16 (52:07 to 59:42)
    Sorts out which quarterback is more concerning
    Returns to the Thursday night game to sort out which quarterback is more concerning. Wright pins Nix's regression on Payton and the short fields against the Chargers; the others land on Darnold's two picks, including the out-breaking throw in field goal range with 90 seconds left.
    New angle: Darnold threw an out-breaking route in field goal range with 90 seconds left against Denver.
  44. First Things First, 2026-10-16 (1:32:33 to 1:42:42)
    Pushes the blame onto Sean Payton
    Revisits the ugly overtime win over Seattle and pushes the blame onto Sean Payton: he handed Davis Webb play calling, took it back after two quarters, and Nix's drop-back success rate has gotten worse each week since. Notes Mark Schlereth has called for a benching.
    New angle: Mark Schlereth said Bo Nix should be benched.
  45. First Things First, 2026-10-16 (1:42:45 to 1:48:37)
    Adds Seattle's turnover pattern in losses
    Turns to Seattle's side of the Thursday night loss and the turnover pattern: the Seahawks have lost the turnover battle in all five of their losses since last year's opener, and the betting lines now give them a 60% implied probability of making the playoffs.
    New angle: The Seahawks have lost the turnover battle in all five of their losses since last year's opener.
  46. The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 2026-10-19 (0:59 to 13:36)
    Breaks down Seattle's loss from the sideline
    Sherman was at the game and breaks down Seattle's loss: Darnold's three turnovers, five sacks allowed to five different rushers, and a defense that held Bo Nix to 107 yards. He credits Denver's defense for winning without three stars, then questions Nix's 4.9 air yards per attempt and the looming quarterback market.
    New angle: Bo Nix averaged 4.9 air yards per pass attempt and has thrown for under 200 yards four times this season.
  47. The Rich Eisen Show, 2026-10-22 (19:58 to 22:19)
    Reports Denver's concerns about Nix's mobility
    Fowler reports from inside Denver: the team's concerns about Nix are confidence and mobility after ankle surgery, not the Seattle win, which Payton game-planned conservatively. The San Francisco loss bothered them more.
    New angle: People inside the Broncos say Nix's mobility and confidence, not the Seattle win, are the concern after ankle surgery.
  48. The Pat McAfee Show, 2026-10-22 (39:00 to 42:48)
    Explains Darnold's turnovers without a run game
    Herbstreit breaks down why Darnold keeps turning it over: Seattle has no run game without Kenneth Walker, so defenses bracket Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He reports Zach Charbonnet is expected back this week and relays Vance Joseph's plan to double Smith-Njigba and dare the rest of the offense to beat him.
    New angle: Zach Charbonnet is expected to return this week, and defenses are bracketing Jaxon Smith-Njigba without a Seattle run game.
Unpacking...