The Denver Broncos got a major break in a tight game Sunday when officials upheld Sean Payton's replay challenge and allowed Devon Key's interception to stand in a 26-21 win over the Carolina Panthers.
The unusual sequence came late in the third quarter, when the Panthers lined up for a second-and-goal at the Denver 1-yard line. Payton threw the red challenge flag before Bryce Young took the snap, and officials later reviewed the timing and nullified the second-down play.
What officials decided
According to pool report details, replay was able to get involved to make sure the head coach threw his challenge flag before the next snap. Mark Butterworth said officials used angles to show that the flag was out before the ball was snapped, which is why the challenge was permitted.
Dave Canales also confirmed the ruling after the game, saying officials determined Payton did throw the challenge flag before the Panthers snapped the ball on that next play. The broadcast did not show a replay of the exact moment the flag hit the field, which made the timing dispute harder to judge in real time.
Why it mattered
The ruling turned what initially looked like an incompletion into a Broncos interception by Devon Key. In a one-score game, that was a meaningful swing, especially with the Panthers knocking on the door at the Denver 1-yard line.
Payton said he was concerned about whether anyone could see that he threw the flag before the play was snapped, adding that New York was able to confirm it. He also noted that the information can come more quickly in games with more cameras, depending on the broadcast setup.
That replay help ended up preserving a key turnover and supporting a Denver defense that helped finish off the 26-21 win.
