The Denver Broncos extended their winning streak to nine games after defeating the Washington Commanders, 27-26, in OT. Clearly, it wasn’t a dominant win. Far from it. And while Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton managed to get the job done, he did not hide his frustration during the post-game presser.

“It was one of those frustrating nights running the ball,” Payton said in the press conference. “They did a few things differently by staying in their heavy personnel.

“Teams have been able to run the ball in sub against [the Commanders]. To Dan Quinn’s credit, the team didn’t allow that.”

Truthfully, it’s hard to argue the Broncos deserved this one more than Washington did. If the Commanders didn’t botch the two-point try in overtime, Denver’s winning streak would have ended at eight.

Plus, Washington outplayed Denver in just about every measurable category: first downs (30-23), total yards (419-402), rushing yards (143-87), and time of possession (35:00-32:13).

The Broncos’ ground game was held together mostly by running back RJ Harvey, and even he couldn’t get going. He finished with 35 yards on 13 carries. But he did punch in two touchdowns, including the one that ultimately won the game.

Sometimes that’s enough. It was tonight.

However, that also sent a message that the Broncos got lucky and escaped with a win. That’s something no coach would like to hear, and Payton didn’t like that either. So, in the press conference, he rejected that idea and made it clear that they had not escaped. He believes they won a close game in OT.

The game followed a familiar script. The defense held up. The offense had a couple of stretches where it looked sharp, then went dark for long stretches. Denver’s running game never found a pulse. Quarterback Bo Nix mixed some impressive throws. And when it was all over, they walked off with yet another win in a tight game.

That’s the real story of this streak: the mindset. Denver keeps surviving these coin-flip moments. Most teams don’t. The Broncos do.

It’s not always pretty, but they’ve figured out how to close. And for all the frustration about the run game, there was one positive: Bo Nix’s evolution is clear.

Sean Payton clarifies his stance on Bo Nix

If you’ve watched Bo Nix week to week, you would agree that he has shown development. After a choppy September, he has settled in, piling up 2,742 yards with 19 touchdowns. He is playing the most poised football of his young career, and Denver keeps cashing in because of it.

Nix threw for 321 yards with a touchdown and a pick against Washington, guiding the AFC West-leading Broncos (10–2) to yet another one-score win. And once again, when the game tightened in the fourth quarter and into overtime, he delivered. That was his sixth game-winning drive in the final frame or OT this season, more than anyone else in the league. And head coach Sean Payton could not have asked for more from his signal-caller.

Bo Nix is “just getting better and better,” Payton said.

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Still, errors creep in. His interception by linebacker Bobby Wagner was the kind you circle in film review. Without a reliable run game to lean on, Denver has to live with the ball in Nix’s hands. That’s fine in December, but when January arrives, it’s fair to wonder how thin that line becomes.

Even so, for a sophomore still learning how fast NFL nights can get, he is ahead of schedule. Expecting much more right now would be pushing it.

For the Broncos, the larger question remains: can this formula hold?

Winning close every week is a dangerous way to live, but nine straight is nine straight. Plenty of teams would trade places. At some point, results matter more than style, and Payton has clearly embedded something into this locker room that’s even stronger than Bo Nix or their defense: a winning mentality.