The Denver Broncos have one of the most fearsome defenses in the NFL, not just because they hit hard, but also because they have ballhawks in the secondary. Denver entered its Week 9 matchup with the Carolina Panthers tied for seventh in the league in interceptions, and they added another one at the end of the third quarter in one of the wildest plays of the season for multiple reasons.

Carolina QB Bryce Young threw the ball into the end zone for tight end Tommy Tremble, but it was successfully defended by Denver linebacker Justin Strnad. Tremble made a second effort to catch the ball, and it never actually hit the ground, staying in the air just long enough for Broncos defensive back Devon Key to grab it with his fingertips. It sure seemed like Key picked up the ball off the turf in real time. The Panthers lined up for the next play, and snapped the ball, running it with Chuba Hubbard.

THEN the refs whistled and said they saw Payton’s challenge flag before Carolina snapped the ball, and reviewed the interception by Denver. It turns out Key grabbed the ball before it hit the turf, resulting in an interception. Watch the play here:

Here’s another angle of the pick that clearly shows Key grabbed the ball before it hit the ground.

Did Sean Payton really get the challenge off before the snap? That’s the real question. The refs’ decision to honor the challenge changed the game, because Denver went down and scored a touchdown after the interception.

The Broncos just always seem to have luck on their side in the regular season. This is a ridiculous pick by Key either way.