Broncos Erase 16-Point Deficit as Ravens Win Rio Thriller

The Denver Broncos beat the Los Angeles Rams 30-26 on Sunday night after trailing by 16 points at halftime, sealing the win when a defender intercepted Matthew Stafford on the final play, according to ESPN's NFL Nation report published Sept. 28, 2026. The comeback capped a Sunday in which four late-window games were separated by a touchdown or less entering the fourth quarter, per the same report.

How did the Broncos overcome a 16-point deficit against the Rams?

Denver trailed by 16 at the half before rallying to win 30-26, per ESPN's NFL Nation. The margin held until the closing seconds, when a Broncos defender picked off Stafford on the Rams' final offensive play to close out the game, ESPN reported. The Sunday Night Football result stood as the largest halftime deficit overcome among Week 3's Sunday games, based on figures in the same ESPN account.

How did the Ravens beat the Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro?

Baltimore beat Dallas on a time-expiring field goal from kicker Tyler Loop in Rio de Janeiro, according to ESPN's NFL Nation report. The international-series game was decided in the final seconds, placing it among the four Sunday late-window contests that ESPN's report said were within one touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter.

How did Marcus Mariota lead the Commanders past the Seahawks?

Washington backup quarterback Marcus Mariota started in place of the team's regular starter and led the Commanders to what ESPN's NFL Nation described as a large upset win over Seattle. The report did not include the final score of the Commanders-Seahawks game, but characterized the result as one of the day's biggest surprises given Mariota's role as a fill-in starter.

What happened in the Steelers-Bengals shootout and other Sunday games?

Pittsburgh won a high-scoring game against Cincinnati that ESPN's NFL Nation labeled a shootout, though the report did not specify the final score. In New York, the Giants beat the Titans without starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, who did not play, according to the same account. Cleveland won its second consecutive game, extending a win streak that began the previous week, per ESPN's report. Elsewhere, Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs recorded three touchdowns, and New England quarterback Drake Maye turned the ball over multiple times in what ESPN's NFL Nation called a turnover-filled afternoon. Neither the Lions-Jets nor Patriots-Jaguars scorelines were detailed in the ESPN summary beyond those individual performances.

Why did Trevor Lawrence take a knee at the 1-yard line?

Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence explained a decision to kneel down at the 1-yard line rather than score, telling reporters, "Give Bhayshul a touchdown. That's cool," according to ESPN's NFL Nation report. The comment referenced a Jaguars running back, and the quote was the only detail ESPN provided about the sequence; the broader context of the Patriots-Jaguars score was not included in the available report.

Baltimore's locker room also needled Dallas after the Rio win, with players referencing the result as "Rio's team now," per ESPN's account of the Ravens-Cowboys aftermath.

What to watch in Week 4

• Whether Marcus Mariota keeps the Commanders' starting job if Washington's regular quarterback remains unavailable, based on ESPN's report of Sunday's usage.
• Whether Denver's defense repeats its late-game turnover production after intercepting Stafford to close out the Rams game, per ESPN's NFL Nation.
• Whether Cleveland extends its winning streak past two games following Sunday's result, according to the same ESPN summary.
• Whether Drake Maye's turnover total in Week 3, described by ESPN as multiple giveaways, changes New England's offensive approach.
• Whether Jahmyr Gibbs's three-touchdown Sunday, cited in ESPN's report, continues into Detroit's next matchup.

ESPN's NFL Nation, a group of 32 team-specific reporters, compiled the Week 3 recap from Sunday's full slate of games, published Sept. 28, 2026. The full ESPN report includes team-by-team breakdowns and fantasy analysis not detailed here.