Always remember, it's just the preseason. The Denver Broncos defeated the San Francisco 49ers 30-9, but that doesn't mean everything was coming up Denver during the contest.
Sean Payton, despite being up 20-9 at halftime, expressed how the team needs to be better on both offense and defense. Both first-team units struggled early on, as is expected from the preseason. Still, there was more than enough to be excited about with the team's performance looking forward.
Payton was all smiles on the sideline after the team rattled off 30 unanswered points.
Nik Bonitto is a man possessed
Nik Bonitto is a bona fide superstar. During limited reps, Bonitto made his presence felt in a big way. The superstar linebacker nearly had a sack on three straight plays, showing the world that he's more than ready for the regular season. Bonitto sent a message to the league: he's ready to dominate once again.
During the contest against the 49ers, Bonitto was explosive getting after the quarterback.
At first look, Bonitto appears to have just hit the resume button on his impressive performance last season. A more than welcome sign for Denver Broncos fans and a nightmare for the rest of the league.
Denver led the league in sacks by a wide margin last season, and Bonitto played a big part in that. While only appearing in a few series, Bonitto finished his day with one sack, one tackle for loss, and two QB hits, as ESPN reported. Not to challenge the official stats, but we could've sworn he got in on another sack and QB hit. Regardless, he was a monster on the field.
The All-Pro LB had 13.5 sacks and two defensive touchdowns last season, which was instrumental in him receiving a second-team All-Pro nod. With it, Bonitto became the first Bronco to receive such an honor since Von Miller back in 2018.
Bo Nix to Troy Franklin is going to be fun despite struggles from QB1
Death, taxes, and Bo Nix connecting with Troy Franklin. As has been the case during camp, the two are looking to build on what they started last season which saw Franklin reel in 28 receptions for 263 yards and two touchdowns. With both Nix and Franklin honing in on their craft during the offseason, we're already seeing the fruits of their labors in preseason Week 1.
It wasn't all pretty; Nix looked shaky in the pocket at moments. The Nix-led offense looked rusty during its limited reps, even resulting in a sack for the team. The second-year QB finished his day going six for 11 for 31 yards with a QBR of 60.
However, with that, Nix getting this out of his system now and working the rust off is much better now than if we were having this conversation after a regular-season contest. At the end of the day, it's the preseason, and we've seen what Nix can do. Don't hit the panic button on games that don't matter. Nix proved everyone wrong last season. Don't let one preseason game sour your judgment.
Jarrett Stidham, take a bow
Stidham was wheeling and dealing with an impressive performance capped off with multiple touchdowns. One of which we couldn't believe, and another where the Broncos receiver himself couldn't believe. It was a great day at the office for QB2, who took advantage of every opportunity thrown his way.
While the first team offense sputtered, Stidham had no trouble driving the team down for multiple touchdowns. Stidham even scrambled out of the pocket at one point for a huge gain and a first down. Fans, needless to say, were more than excited to see him put his body on the line for a few yards.
Make no mistake, this is Bo Nix's offense. Still, Stidham having a great game is an excellent insurance option in case disaster were to strike. While it was only one game, it was clear to see what Payton has seen in Stidham since bringing him to Denver.
Stidham finished his day going 14-15 with 136 yards and two touchdowns.
Actually, the entire Broncos defense, take a bow
Five takeaways for the unit as a whole if you count the turnover on downs late in the fourth quarter. While it's only the preseason, the Broncos' defense looked to be in mid-season form even with their backups in the contest.
They all deserve their flowers, as it extended to second and third team defenders who all showed up in a big way. Karene Reid, Ja'Quan McMillian, and Joshua Pickett each notched an interception, which allowed the team to rattle off 20+ unanswered points. The team also recovered a fumble to boot.
Defense forcing turnovers resulted in points in bunches for the Broncos and something they're hoping will continue once the regular season rolls around.
A heavy dose of RJ Harvey
RJ Harvey was drafted by the Denver Broncos with their second-round pick. It was evident from the first snap on offense that the team would be leaning on Harvey in the early goings of the contest. Payton wanted to see what Harvey was made of, and the rookie showed up in a big way.
Harvey's first taste of NFL action was a success as the second-round pick had seven carries for 25 yards with a catch. J.K. Dobbins didn't register a handoff but managed to catch one pass for four yards.
These next few weeks are going to be huge for Harvey, who will get his fair share of reps before the regular season begins. The tandem of Dobbins and Harvey is shaping up to be a fun one for Broncos fans. An exciting first day at the office for the rookie.
A lot of good, a little bad, but a great day for football.
