When Payton first got the job in Denver, he hired Ben Kotwica as special teams coordinator and Mike Westhoff as assistant head coach and third-phase czar. Last season, the Broncos had a would-be game-winning chip-shot field goal blocked by the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, and Westhoff retired two days later.

The Denver Broncos might’ve walked out of NRG Stadium with a 7–2 record and sole possession of first place in the AFC West, but don’t mistake this one for a victory lap. Their 18–15 win over the Houston Texans was more of an escape act.

The Broncos broke a record that had been held by the 1981 Atlanta Falcons, who got shut out for three quarters by the Green Bay Packers before scoring 31 in the final quarter. The Broncos and Falcons are the only two teams in NFL history to score at least 30 points after scoring zero in the first three quarters.

The Denver Broncos head into a Week 9 matchup with the Houston Texans tied for the longest win streak in the NFL and on the heels of a Texas-sized smackdown of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.

The Texans reached the Broncos’ 20-yard line five times but failed to come away with a touchdown, thanks to a gritty performance from Denver’s defense.

It wasn't pretty, but the Denver Broncos walked out of Houston with a victory thanks to yet another fourth-quarter performance by quarterback Bo Nix and the offense.

The NFL trade deadline is now just four days away, and the Denver Broncos could look at bringing in more weapons for second-year quarterback Bo Nix.