Broncos rally past Rams as Commanders end Seahawks’ winning streak in NFL Week Three
Denver overturned a 16-point halftime deficit and Washington beat the defending champions on a Sunday packed with close finishes.
The Denver Broncos came back from 16-0 down at halftime to beat the Los Angeles Rams 30-26 on Sunday, while the Washington Commanders ended the defending champion Seattle Seahawks’ 12-game winning streak with a 33-31 victory. Both games turned on interceptions returned for touchdowns in the fourth quarter, giving NFL Week Three two late finishes with consequences for teams that reached last season’s final stages.
Twelve of Sunday’s 14 games were decided by eight points or fewer, tying the NFL record for one-score games in a day, according to BBC Sport. Denver’s win left the Broncos 2-1 and the Rams 1-2. Seattle’s defeat came despite gaining substantially more yards than Washington.
Hufanga changes the game in Denver
The Rams controlled the first half in Denver and led 16-0 at the break. The Broncos answered with two touchdowns and successful two-point conversions in the third quarter to draw level. The score remained close enough for three lead changes in the final five minutes, beginning when Denver safety Talanoa Hufanga intercepted Matthew Stafford and returned the ball 66 yards for a touchdown.
Stafford responded quickly. His 48-yard touchdown pass to Konata Mumpfield put Los Angeles back in front, 26-23. Bo Nix then led Denver on a 65-yard drive and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 47 seconds remaining. Stafford got one last chance, but Hufanga intercepted his pass in the end zone with two seconds left to secure the four-point win.
Hufanga told the Broncos’ website that he had dropped two earlier interception chances and had reminded himself to stay patient. Denver coach Sean Payton described the 66-yard return as the play of the game. The two interceptions framed a finish in which the Rams had moved the ball effectively for much of the night but could not protect their final possession.
NFL.com reported that Los Angeles outgained Denver 482 yards to 257. Nix completed 17 of 34 passes for 186 yards, two passing touchdowns and an interception, according to the league’s account. The yardage gap underlines how much Denver’s comeback depended on its scoring drives and Hufanga’s defensive touchdown rather than sustained control of the game.
The Associated Press reported three Rams defensive penalties on Denver’s final scoring drive, including a pass-interference call that erased an apparent interception. Rams safety Quentin Lake called the decision unfortunate while saying that ‘the rules are the rules.’ The call and the reaction are part of the late-game account; the available reporting does not establish that officials got it wrong.
Washington wins despite Seattle’s yardage advantage
Seattle outgained Washington 437 yards to 258 and recorded 28 first downs to Washington’s 17, according to the Seahawks’ recap. The turnovers told a different story: Seattle committed three and Washington committed none. The Seahawks said every one of their turnovers led to a Commanders touchdown.
Washington led 24-10 after backup quarterback Marcus Mariota threw his third touchdown pass, BBC Sport reported. Seattle rallied to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but linebacker Kain Medrano intercepted Sam Darnold and returned the ball 50 yards for a touchdown. Washington held on for the 33-31 result, ending a Seattle winning run that had continued through the previous season’s Super Bowl and the first two games of 2026.
Darnold threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns, the Seahawks’ recap said, but his interception return proved decisive. He had returned after missing a game, a development linked to earlier reporting on the Seahawks’ expectation that he would resume practice. Seattle’s offensive production and Washington’s points from turnovers together explain why a two-point result ended such a long winning streak.
Other close games across the league
Baltimore beat Dallas 34-31 in the NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro. A Cowboys field goal tied the score with seven seconds left, but Lamar Jackson completed a 27-yard pass to move the Ravens into kicking range. Tyler Loop then made a 56-yard field goal as time expired, according to BBC Sport.
Other Sunday results included Buffalo’s 24-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh’s 30-27 victory against Cincinnati and San Francisco’s 36-30 win over Arizona. Jacksonville beat New England 35-6, Minnesota beat Tampa Bay 23-16 and Las Vegas beat New Orleans 35-27. The range of scores captures both the narrow margins and the exceptions to them on a busy Week Three Sunday.
The roundups published before Monday’s game listed Philadelphia at Chicago as the remaining Week Three fixture. The Eagles could join the five teams already at 3-0 with a win, BBC Sport reported. Sunday’s results are settled; that final game was still to be played at the time of the reports.
Sources and context
- NFL: Denver Broncos beat Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks loseBBC Sport
- 2026 NFL season, Week 3: What We Learned from Sunday's gamesNFL.com
- Bo Nix and Talanoa Hufanga lead the Broncos past the Rams 30-26 in a Sunday night thrillerThe Associated Press, republished by The Washington Post
- Rapid Reactions: Turnovers Costly As Seahawks Lose 33-31 In WashingtonSeattle Seahawks
- ‘[It] was the play of the game’: 66-yard pick six highlights S Talanoa Hufanga’s standout performance vs. RamsDenver Broncos
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.
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