What a difference 30 minutes can make. Instead of Tuesday morning hand-wringing over a Denver Broncos team that’s two games below .500, fans saw Denver tied atop the AFC West standings after a rousing 35-24 comeback win against San Diego. So what’s the takeaway from a game in which Denver trailed 24-0? The short answer: a lot.

***

This is a game that can make a season: Don’t be surprised if this is a kick-start for Denver. A comeback like this—against a divisional rival, on the road—is exactly what the Broncos needed to reverse what was quickly becoming a disappointing year.

Peyton Manning got a signature win: No matter how many wins he’s had in his long career, a memorable victory on a new team gives him  a major boost.

The defense came alive when it had to: Denver wasn’t in an ideal position going into halftime, but the Broncos' defense came up big at exactly the right moments. Look for this to be a building block.

 —Image courtesy of Shutterstock