DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos were slogging their way through a rare clunker Sunday against the Green Bay Packers when cornerback Pat Surtain II delivered the game-saving takeaway.
The reigning NFL defensive player of the year laid out for Jordan Love’s deep throw to Christian Watson and secured his first interception of an injury-marred season, one that sparked the Broncos’ playoff-clinching, come-from-behind 34-26 win Sunday.Nix tied a career high with four touchdown passes — connecting with Michael Bandy, Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin and Lil’Jordan Humphrey — to lead the Broncos (12-2) to their 11th consecutive victory.
Green Bay lost star lost star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who went down with a non-contact knee injury while chasing down Nix. Parsons is believed to have suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.
The Packers also lost Watson to a chest injury after Surtain fell on him following his third-quarter interception. Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that Watson went to a hospital for tests.
J.J. McCarthy has back-to-back wins for the first time as an NFL quarterback, and three more games to show the Minnesota Vikings that he can help get them back into the playoffs next season.
McCarthy completed 15 of 24 passes for 250 yards with two touchdowns to Jalen Nailor and that interception on his first attempt against the Cowboys. The 2024 first-round pick who won a national championship at Michigan also ran for a touchdown after a great fake handoff that left pretty much the left side of the field open for him to scamper into the end zone. The Vikings take on the Giants next week
Egor Demin scored 17 points, Noah Clowney added 16 and the Brooklyn Nets matched the franchise record for margin of victory, never trailing in a 127-82 romp over the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday night.
Gary Trent Jr. scored 20 points and Kyle Kuzma added 13 for the struggling Bucks They have lost three of four since star Giannis Antetokounmpo strained his right calf in the opening minutes of a win over Detroit on Dec. 3.