GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Bo Nix has insisted throughout the past few months that the right ankle he injured during last season's playoffs is now healthy, even if his rushing numbers haven't matched his first two seasons in the league.
A spectacular 62-yard touchdown dash by the Denver Broncos quarterback on Sunday proved it.
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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) scrambles against the Denver Broncos during the first quarter of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight (20) misses a touchdown catch against the Denver Broncosv during the first half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald hugs owner Michael J. Bidwill during his Ring of Honor ceremony where his number was retired at halftime of an NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (12) runs against Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the second half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) runs for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
“You believe me now?” Nix asked with a grin.
Nix's touchdown run was the longest of his career, RJ Harvey turned a short screen pass into a 52-yard touchdown and the Broncos used a handful of big offensive plays to beat the Arizona Cardinals 30-16.
The Cardinals have lost 10 straight home games in a streak that's lasted 406 days.
The Broncos (5-2) have struggled on offense for most of this season and that trend continued for part of Sunday's game, but Nix and Harvey took advantage of costly mistakes by the Cardinals defense to get things moving.
“I think it answers our question, ‘Can he can still run?’” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Nix's touchdown. “The confidence inside the building relative to his abilities hasn't changed at all. He's our guy and it's good to see him play well. It's good to see us block well and make some plays down the field.”
Denver has won three straight. Its defense was dominant once again with 12 quarterback hits, six tackles for a loss and three sacks.
Nix's long touchdown run came late in the second quarter, giving the Broncos a 13-6 lead and a lot of momentum. He dropped back to pass and then stepped up in pocket, surging forward when a huge patch of grass appeared. No one on the Cardinals defense was near him until a few yards before the end zone, when he sidestepped a tackle and tumbled forward for the touchdown.
Nix had just 37 yards rushing combined over his first six games of the season, but after seeing that big crease open on Sunday, it was time to show he still has some wheels.
“There's not a lot of times you get that much open space,” Nix said.
Denver extended its lead to 20-6 midway through the third quarter when Harvey caught a short screen pass, took advantage of plenty of blocking and ran untouched to the end zone.
Nix finished 15 of 29 passing for 222 yards. He also had 73 yards rushing.
“I thought we played a good game offensively,” Nix said. “There's still several things we'd like to get better at, several penalties that we didn't love, but overall, we had a big win over a tough team on the road. It was really good for us.”
The Cardinals (2-5) cut the deficit to 20-13 late in the third quarter on Trey McBride's 7-yard touchdown catch. Denver responded with a 76-yard touchdown drive — highlighted by a 47-yard pass from Nix to Marvin Mims Jr. — for a 27-13 lead and controlled the game from that point forward.
Arizona scored just one touchdown on five trips to the red zone.
“We've got to play better," Cardinals first-year coach Mike LaFleur said. “We had too many penalties, we had opportunities to make plays and we didn't. When we get to the point where we're gonna flip this thing, we've got to make those plays. This is a collective deal in terms of coaching and playing.”
The Broncos took an early 6-0 lead on a pair of field goals during a flag-filled first quarter that included 10 penalties — five on each team.
The Cardinals cut the deficit to 6-3 early in the second, settling for a 30-yard field goal after running back Bam Knight dropped a potential touchdown catch in the end zone on third down.
Arizona quarterback Jacoby Brissett finished with 272 yards passing and a touchdown, but the Cardinals were just 5 of 17 on third down. McBride caught 10 passes for 111 yards.
Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor during a halftime ceremony at State Farm Stadium. Fitzgerald — one of the greatest receivers in NFL history — finished his career with 17,492 yards receiving and 121 touchdowns.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame over the summer.
Broncos: DL Malcolm Roach was evaluated for a concussion, but returned to the game. DL Zach Allen was shaken up during the fourth quarter, but said postgame that he was fine.
Cardinals: Rookie RB Jeremiyah Love missed his second straight game with a sore ankle.
Broncos: Host Kansas City next Sunday.
Cardinals: At Dallas next Sunday.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) scrambles against the Denver Broncos during the first quarter of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight (20) misses a touchdown catch against the Denver Broncosv during the first half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald hugs owner Michael J. Bidwill during his Ring of Honor ceremony where his number was retired at halftime of an NFL football game between the Arizona Cardinals and the Denver Broncos in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (12) runs against Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) during the second half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) runs for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a vocal critic of President Donald Trump, was reelected Sunday in a result that provides relief to critics of widening U.S. influence in Latin America.
With 100% of the vote counted, Brazil’s electoral court announced that the soon to be 81-year-old Lula had a lead of nearly 4.4 million votes -- 51.8% of the total vote -- over opponent Flávio Bolsonaro. The announcement capped an evening of chaos at polling places across Brazil, following a last-minute decision to extend voting by two hours. That decision by a Supreme Court justice may trigger legal action by Bolsonaro.
His triumph bucks a trend in Latin America where increasing numbers of right-of-center presidential candidates allied with Trump have been winning. Lula’s victory leaves Mexico and Brazil, Latin America’s two most populous nations, with left-of-center leaders. It also positions Latin America’s largest economy, with a GDP of $2.6 trillion per year, to remain independent of the U.S., despite the pressure of increased tariffs imposed by Trump.
A video published by Lula’s campaign shows the veteran leader celebrating with First Lady Rosângela da Silva and allies after his runoff victory was confirmed by Brazil’s electoral court. Wearing star-shaped red glasses, he kissed his wife. Hundreds of his supporters began gathering on São Paulo’s main artery to celebrate the victory.
In Rio de Janiero, cars beeped their horns and a woman dressed in red — the color of Lula supporters — shouted “You lost! Cry harder!” to four men in yellow and green sipping beers, Bolsonaro's signature colors. A huge roar echoed in the street as the result was confirmed.
Rodrigo Valentim, a 51-year-old businessman and supporter of Bolsonaro, said that another Lula government would harm the economy. He pointed to financial markets’ positive reaction to the result of the first round, when Bolsonaro bested Lula.
“I don’t understand how people can vote for Lula,” he said. “The country is collapsing.”
Bolsonaro had yet to respond to Lula's apparent victory, which, if confirmed by electoral authorities, will give him his non-consecutive fourth term as president. The next term begins on Jan. 5, 2027.
The electoral court's announcement ended an evening of confusion at polling places after Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Cristiano Zanin ruled three minutes before the scheduled end of voting to keep polls open for two more hours, following requests by both candidates. Lula’s request came after issues with buses that provide transportation to polls in Sao Paulo and Salvador, two cities that tend to favor the incumbent. Bolsonaro’s request was due to heavy rains in Brazil’s south, where he is favored.
In Brasilia, volunteers who oversaw the vote count at a school debated whether they needed to stay after the announcement to extend voting, but most left 15 to 20 minutes after polls closed and they had given count information to electoral authorities. At a polling station in Rio de Janeiro, the voting machines had already been switched off minutes after polls were set to close and couldn’t be turned back on.
The decision delayed tallying the votes by two hours. It was unclear how many polling stations stayed open after the scheduled closing time.
Bolsonaro ally Nikolas Ferreira noted that Zanin, who made the decision, is Lula's former lawyer.
Bolsonaro bested Lula by more than 2.2 million votes in the first round of the election earlier this month. Sunday night's apparent victory by Lula marked the first time since Brazil’s military dictatorship ended in 1985 that the second-highest vote-getter in the first-round elections won the presidency.
Lula faced a tough reelection battle because of concerns about the cost of living and security. Bolsonaro made a tough-on-crime approach the cornerstone of his campaign and pledged to bring down food costs while Lula, trying to lure undecided voters, has invested in costly incentives.
Both have been hit by corruption suspicions involving family members and allies, with Bolsonaro implicated in a sprawling scandal rocking Brazil. Lula previously spent more than a year in prison on corruption convictions that were eventually annulled.
This will likely be the last victory of the veteran leader’s political career. Lula began his political career in the 1970s as a union leader. He then helped found the Workers’ Party, which he represented as a presidential candidate three times until he finally won it in 2002. He was reelected four years later and was succeeded by one of his cabinet ministers, Dilma Rousseff, in 2010. She was reelected in 2014.
Rousseff was impeached for accounting maneuvering in 2016 amid a sprawling corruption probe, which also ensnared Lula. He tried to run for president again in 2018 but was jailed in March after being convicted.
Lula was released from prison after 580 days and saw Brazil’s Supreme Court annul his sentence after police found messages that showed the judge who convicted him was biased. He quickly became one of former President Jair Bolsonaro’s biggest critics and narrowly beat him in 2022.
Since he lost the first round, Lula reorganized his campaign, appealed to young voters, put millions of Brazilians on the streets to defend democratic values and his legacy, raised fears of another Bolsonaro administration and boosted several government initiatives.
He joins Trump and Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega — all aged 80 — as the oldest presidents in the Americas.
Savarese reported from Sao Paulo. Brigida reported from Brasilia.
Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
Supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrate after he won the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
Supporters of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrate after he won the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro flashes a victory sign as he arrives in Brasilia, Brazil, on the day of the presidential runoff election, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, waves after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and his wife Fernanda Bolsonaro give a thumbs during the runoff presidential election in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izuierdo)
People walk along the beach during the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, waves after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, wears glasses given to him by a supporter after voting in the presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, displays a Brazilian flag before voting in a presidential runoff in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Voters line up at a polling station during the presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Voters line outside a polling station up during the presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
A supporter of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking reelection, lines up at a polling station during a presidential runoff in Brasilia, Brazil, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro and his wife Fernanda Bolsonaro give a thumbs during the runoff presidential election in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Voters wait to cast their ballots during a presidential runoff in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
Red T-shirts depicting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, and yellow T-shirts depicting opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro hang for sale outside a building ahead of Brazil's presidential runoff election in Autazes, Amazonas state, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Edmar Barros)
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, right, who is running for reelection, and his running mate Geraldo Alckmin raise their arms in unison at the end of their final campaign rally, a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, center, leaves after his final campaign rally a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro cheer during his final campaign rally a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Lucas Landau)
A girl standing on a man's shoulders reaches out amid a crowd of supporters of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is running for reelection, during his final campaign rally, a day ahead of the presidential runoff election in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
