By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bo Nix threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns and the Denver Broncos benefitted from a momentum-turning coach’s challenge to beat the Carolina Panthers 26-21 on Sunday for their fifth straight win.
Jonah Coleman ran for 57 yards and a score and Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant each caught TD passes for the Broncos.
Denver (7-2) got a late defensive stop as Nik Bonitto came up with a strip-sack on Bryce Young and recovered the ball near midfield with 1:24 left. The Broncos picked up one first down to seal the win.
Young finished 28 of 39 for 276 yards with three touchdown passes and an interception for Carolina. He was sacked three times after being sacked six times in a loss last week to Green Bay.
Darren Waller had eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown for the Panthers (3-5), who have lost three straight.
The Panthers took the lead early in the third quarter when Young found Waller over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown pass.
The turning point came late in the third quarter when Broncos coach Sean Payton won a key challenge.
With Carolina facing a first-and-goal at the Denver 1, Young threw a pass toward the corner of the end zone that was initially ruled incomplete. After the Panthers had run a second down play, officials stepped in and said Payton had thrown the red challenge flag before the snap.
Upon review, officials ruled that Denver safety Devon Key had caught a ball that deflected off tight end Tommy Tremble’s hand before it hit the ground. The interception gave the Broncos the ball at their 20 and ended Carolina’s momentum and a chance to go up by eight.
Denver took advantage, going 80 yards in 14 plays to take a 19-14 lead on a 9-yard touchdown run by Jonah Coleman with 10:17 remaining. Denver’s 2-point conversion pass failed.
Nix made it a two-possession game when he connected with a wide-open Bryant on a 25-yard touchdown pass down the seam with 5:41 left.
Young cut the lead to five with a 4-yard TD pass to Tetairoa McMillan with 3:05 left and would get another chance after the Broncos lost 18 yards on a misplayed pitchout from Nix to Coleman and were forced to punt with two minutes left.
But Bonitto’s sack-fumble turned out to be the play of the game.
The Panthers played their first game under interim defensive coordinator Todd Wash, who replaced Ejiro Evero last week. But his defense, playing without its top four cornerbacks because of injuries, was flagged seven times, including five for pass interference.
Injuries
Denver: Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and cornerback Riley Moss suffered concussions in the first half and were ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Carolina: No injuries reported.
Up next
Denver: bye next week. Host Las Vegas on Nov. 22.
Carolina: at New Orleans on Sunday.
___