Sean Payton's replay challenge results in key interception in Broncos' victory

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- In the end, a red challenge flag, wrapped with three rubber bands around 2 ounces of sand and thrown by Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton late in the third quarter Sunday, left the Carolina Panthers heated and the Broncos flush with a 26-21 win at Bank of America Stadium.

Payton's replay challenge, with 1:30 left in the third quarter, turned an incomplete pass in the Broncos' end zone into an improbable interception by Broncos reserve safety Devon Key. The Panthers led 14-13 at the time and the Broncos outscored the Panthers 13-8 the rest of the way for their now NFL record 16th consecutive win in a one-score game.

"We never flinch when those situations are upon us," Key said. "... I wouldn't say it's luck ... it takes everyone in the building to do what we do."

It all started as a first-and-goal play from the Broncos' 1-yard line. Panthers quarterback Bryce Young tried to squeeze a pass in to tight end Tommy Tremble near the back left corner of the end zone. Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad collided with Tremble as the ball arrived.

As Tremble and Strnad fell to the ground, replays showed the ball bounced off Tremble's right forearm and Key then snatched it just inches from the ground. It was initially ruled an incomplete pass and the Panthers rushed to the line of scrimmage and ran a play, with running back Chuba Hubbard stopped for no gain.

But referee Alan Eck announced after the play that Payton had thrown the challenge flag before the Panthers had snapped the ball.

"I didn't know after we ran another play that they could go back for it," Tremble said. "That was confusing to us, to a lot of us on offense, but in football, stuff like that happens. What can you do about it?"

In a pool report with Eck and Alan Butterworth, the NFL's vice president of instant replay, Eck said Key's interception was reviewed to make sure he caught the ball before it hit the ground and that the NFL's replay center had also determined Payton had thrown the challenge flag before the Panthers snapped the ball on the next play.

"Replay can get involved to make sure that the head coach throws his challenge flag prior to the next snap," Butterworth said. "We were actually able to use angles to show that the flag was out prior to the ball being snapped, and so we permitted the challenge."

Payton said Broncos director of game management Evan Rothstein, who is also an assistant quarterbacks coach, is the voice in his ear -- "it's Evan, it's not a group vote" -- on decisions about whether to challenge a play. He said Rothstein told him, shouted actually, to throw the challenge flag just before the Panthers had snapped the ball on the next play.

"I just gave Evan a game ball," Payton said. "That was a hard one for any of us to see and my concern was were they able, was anyone able, to see I threw it before the play was snapped. Fortunately, New York can ... that one, that's the first I can ever recall like that, ever, that was that close."

"They confirmed that [Payton] did throw the challenge flag before we did snap the ball on that very next play," Panthers coach Dave Canales said. "So, I've got to go from their word. I don't have that at my disposal but they did confirm it that he got the flag out."

Instead of a potential 21-13 lead for the Panthers, the Broncos took over the ball at their own 20-yard line and embarked on a 14-play drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown run by rookie Jonah Coleman. It gave the Broncos, after a failed 2-point conversion, a 19-14 lead.

The Broncos scored on their next possession as well, a six-play drive that ended with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix to Pat Bryant for a 26-14 lead, and held on for the win.

"Flipped the whole game," Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian said.

"Heads-up play by Rothstein. Thank God he called down to Sean," Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey said. "... He's got such an unbelievable football mind. ... He's so valuable to our football team."