Initial thoughts from the Broncos’  26-21 win over Carolina Panthers in Week 9 at Bank of America Stadium:

1. Golden Key: The immaculate interception. Too much? Too soon? The Broncos remained in the driver’s seat in the AFC West and in the hunt for the conference’s top seed because of one of the most unlikely takeaways in recent memory. On first-and-goal from the 1-yard line late in the third quarter, Panthers quarterback Bryce Young peered to his left. Tight end Tommy Tremble slipped into the back of the end zone as inside linebacker Justin Strnad gave chase. Strnad rammed into Tremble and the ball popped into the air. It fell toward the ground and bounced off Tremble’s forearm as he lay on the turf. Devon Key was standing over him and quickly snatched it into his paws. The turnover completely flipped momentum and the Broncos responded with a scoring drive, the turning point in extending their winning streak to five games.

2. One and Never Done: The Broncos now stand alone when it comes to winning the close ones. They set the NFL record with a 16th straight one-score victory, breaking a tie with Peyton Manning‘s 2009 Indianapolis Colts. Teetering on the tightrope has left a wake of critics. But the Broncos keep doing it. So it’s clearly more than good fortune. A slow heartbeat is embedded in the Broncos’ DNA. And once again, it showed.

3. Third and Long Quarter: The Broncos cannot have nice things or easy days. Their games always come with accompanying drama, and a poor third quarter made Sunday’s outcome greasy. Denver squandered a 13-7 lead, posting 21 yards and three first downs in the third. It drove home the need to trade for a veteran running back like Jonathan Taylor or Tony Pollard to help stay on the field. The Panthers ran 19 plays in the quarter and took the lead on Darren Waller’s leaping grab in front of safety JL Skinner. The Broncos entered Week 9 leading in defensive snaps, and this offered a snapshot of how it can bite Denver. A little fatigued, the Broncos failed to produce consistent pressure, not registering their first sack until Jonathon Cooper got on the board in the fourth.

4. Concussion Concerns: For three seasons, the Broncos seemed immune to injuries. Were they lucky? Was it an anomaly? This year they have been living like the rest of the league. A week rarely goes by without a key player landing on injured reserve or sidelined with an issue. Receiver Jaylen Waddle and cornerback Riley Moss were both knocked out of Sunday’s game in the first half after entering concussion protocol. For Waddle, the timing was awful. He was just starting to find traction over the middle of the field, but that led to his exit as he suffered a helmet-to-facemask hit as he stretched out for a pass. Moss, who missed time this season with a rib injury, jarred his neck and head when tackling running back Trevor Etienne. Former first-round pick Jahdae Barron struggled as Moss’ replacement.

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