Pat Surtain's DPOY case is real – as is the defense that drives the Broncos

DENVER – The Broncos honored the only winner of the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year award before Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Then they watched No. 2 commit to becoming No. 2.

There are plays that reverse the momentum of a game. Broncos coach Sean Payton says there are usually about five of them that can tell the story of a win or a loss. But Pat Surtain's goal-line steal in the second quarter on Sunday belonged in a category of its own. It was the pop of a reset button. It was like clinging to a buoy in the middle of a choppy ocean and then feeling that buoy turn on its rocket engines and hurl you out of the icy water.

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The Broncos trailed 10-3. The Raiders had completed their first nine passes of the game and were moving the ball freely against a defense that had allowed just one touchdown in the last two weeks. They were just 5 yards away from taking a 17-3 lead.

Then the ball hit the chest of Denver's All-Pro cornerback and everything felt different.

“It completely changed the game,” defensive end Zach Allen said.

“I was cheering and just cheering for him,” said cornerback Riley Moss, who was covering a route at the other end of the field when Surtain intercepted the pass intended for tight end Brock Bowers and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown.

A 100 YARD PICK 6!! @PatSurtainll pic.twitter.com/Xh3CG05U9J

– NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024

“I saw him catch and I saw what their offense was like on the sideline and I didn't think anyone was going to make the tackle,” said quarterback Bo Nix, who was sitting on the bench next to position coach Davis Webb at the time. “I just sat and watched it on the Jumbotron and enjoyed everyone celebrating.”

Randy Gradishar, the Broncos linebacker who won the league's top defensive honor in 1978, was honored for his recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was part of a week-long celebration of the 1977 Broncos team, which secured the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance by defeating the Raiders in the AFC Championship Game. Surtain was at the heart of the team's marketing around the retro 1977-style jerseys, which debuted Sunday to rave reviews. A promotional video was shot with Gradishar this off-season. He had come into the game having largely wiped out the top wide receivers of every team Denver had played this season. He couldn't intercept the ball because it's difficult to block passes if they're not thrown directly in your direction.

Hall of Famer #373

Congratulations, Randy Gradishar!! pic.twitter.com/oIL8y7m4bE

– Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 6, 2024

But at a moment when the Broncos needed their best player, Surtain delivered emphatically The played in Denver's 34-18 win that snapped an eight-game losing streak for the Raiders. He returned it right in front of Champ Bailey, the Hall of Fame cornerback who was with the Broncos before Surtain. The two exchanged signed jerseys before the game, Surtain's clear throwback number 2 for Bailey's navy number 24.

“That was pretty legendary, to say the least,” Surtain said. “This is something I’ve always wanted to have in my inventory.”

The piece was not without drama. As Surtain casually strolled into the end zone, holding the ball high in his right hand, the officials gathered to discuss a flag thrown on the return play. It was the area where linebacker Jonah Elliss, who applied the pressure that helped force Gardner Minshew's fall, subsequently blocked Minshew.

“That’s not possible, is it?” said Moss when he saw the flag.

Surtain's reaction when he turned and saw the officers huddled together: “I was worried. I was afraid. And I was tired. So that’s not a good combination.”

Officials soon picked up the flag. The party continued.

“We felt like we needed that momentum going forward,” Surtain said. “We found ourselves in a situation where we had to take advantage of the opportunities that came our way. I had to do a play. I felt the dynamic change and you could tell from the team that we felt an urgency to increase the energy and improve our game.”

Surtain's touchdown was part of a streak of 34 consecutive points scored by the Broncos in their highest-scoring game of the season. It was also a wake-up call for a defense that delivered another dominant performance in a season already full of them. Contributions came from everywhere. Moss intercepted his first career pass. Allen, Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto had sacks. Justin Strnad, who was moved into the starting lineup in place of injured linebacker Alex Singleton, led the team with nine tackles, including one for a loss. And Surtain even added a second interception.

Top drill. 👐

📺: FOX | @PatSurtainll pic.twitter.com/uaO3d78XnC

– Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 6, 2024

The Raiders completed their first nine passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. After that, Minshew and second-half substitute Aidan O'Connell scored 13 of 28 for 116 yards and three interceptions. The Raiders rushed for just 5 yards in the second half.

“That’s what great defense and agenda-free football is all about,” Moss said. “We go in and work. (Malcolm) Roach does a great job in the huddle after we gave up a few plays and said, 'Guys, let's go.' We're good.' Everyone has their role and they own their role.”

Surtain's big play also provided something of a fresh start for Denver's offense. The Broncos faltered early and took an early lead on their first five third-down attempts. At one point near the end of the second quarter, the team's wide receivers had only caught one pass. But Nix led the Broncos into the end zone three times in the second half. He threw two touchdown passes and ran another, his third rushing score of the season. He also finished the third straight game without throwing an interception.

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“We started getting some pressure looks,” Payton said. “We still shot ourselves in the foot a few times and still came up with some big plays that we needed. We talked about it on the sidelines, the pressure will now increase. We just have to know where we want to go with football and be decisive, and that’s what we did.”

Who knows how the game would have ended if Surtain hadn't carefully jumped into the path of Minshew's pass? Perhaps the Broncos, even from a 10 or 14 point deficit, could have mounted a comeback to end the bitter losing streak. Or, more likely, the Raiders would have turned a 17-3 lead into a resounding victory.

Thanks to Surtain, the Broncos didn't have to find out. They are 3-2 and next up is a home game against the Chargers. There's a lot ahead for this team, like the 100 yards of green grass between their superstar player and the end zone.

“Pat has my vote,” Allen said, “for Defensive Player of the Year.”

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(Photo: Bart Young / Associated Press)