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.

Instead, the rookie gave the linebacker a quick head-fake and turned on the jets, leaving To’oTo’o in the dust as quarterback Bo Nix found Harvey for a pivotal 27-yard score. It marked another banner day for Harvey as a pass-catching threat: Five catches for a team-leading 51 yards and a TD in an otherwise-ugly 18-15 win over Houston.

Outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper catches Texans quarterback Davis Mills in the backfield for a 12-yard sack.

After a concussion knocked Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud out of the game, the Denver Broncos mounted another fourth-quarter comeback in an 18-15 win at NRG Stadium. Kicker Will Lutz buried the 34-yard game-winner as time expired to move Denver to 7-2.

The Denver Broncos (6-2) visit the Houston Texans (3-4) at NRG Stadium in Houston for a Week 9 showdown, and USA TODAY's panel of NFL experts have locked in their picks and predictions for the action. Here's everything you need to know before kickoff on ...

Mills completed passes of 26 and 10 yards to Nico Collins, setting up another first-and-goal opportunity from the 2. Again the Denver D stiffened. A holding penalty on Houston helped and Jonathon Cooper finished off the defensive stand with a 12-yard sack of Mills.

The Denver Broncos are at NRG Stadium to throw down with the Houston Texans. With about 90 minutes until kickoff, the Broncos released their list of inactive players for this game.