Jarrett Stidham, Bo Nix and Zach Wilson lead Broncos to 34-30 win over Colts

INDIANAPOLIS — After weeks of working towards situational soccer, the Broncos took benefit of a stay alternative.

In Sunday’s preseason opener towards the Colts, the Broncos took over at their very own 16-yard line with 1:24 to play within the first half and one timeout remaining. Locked in a 10-10 sport, Denver held an opportunity to create separation.

With a pair of 16-yard completions from Bo Nix to Lucas Krull and a 29-yard cross interference name drawn by Devaughn Vele, Denver moved the ball contained in the 10-yard line and kicked a brief area objective to take the lead.

The sphere objective was only one second of a stretch wherein Denver scored factors on 5 of seven possessions, and the drive stood out to veteran Courtland Sutton in a 34-30 win over Indianapolis.

“I believe he dealt with it very effectively,” Sutton mentioned of Nix. “[He] had loads of poise, loads of management. The second wasn’t too large for him. The moments are solely going to get greater. The preseason video games do not rely, however come Week 1, whoever they resolve to place on the market as our starter, they are going to must deal with that state of affairs the very best they presumably can.”

Nix’s two-minute drive was a part of a day wherein he accomplished 15-of-21 passes for 125 yards, a landing and a 102.3 ranking. He additionally recorded three carries for 17 yards.

“It was day,” Nix mentioned. “I assumed we ran the ball effectively, made some good performs within the cross sport. Transformed some third downs, received factors once we wanted to. It was job going into half with factors after which popping out with factors — [it] felt like that was level within the sport. However total, felt like we did job. Large staff win.”

Jarrett Stidham, who began the sport and accomplished 4-of-7 passes for 37 yards, had his two drives foiled by penalties and an interception that bounced off the arms of working again Samaje Perine.

“Actually, I assumed we moved the ball very well,” Stidham mentioned. “We type of shot ourselves within the foot — primarily these first two drives with penalties and that form of factor. Quite a lot of good, I assumed. Clearly, we’ll check out the movie and get higher from it. Clearly, clear up the penalties. Like I mentioned, that was most likely the most important factor. Thought we have been fairly environment friendly there fairly early on. Clearly, simply the penalties, we have got to determine that out.”

Tim Patrick, Courtland Sutton and Mike McGlinchey have been all whistled for penalties throughout Stidham’s preliminary drive, which progressed to the Indianapolis 29-yard line earlier than regressing backward.

“He will get a troublesome break the place the ball bounces off of Perine,” Head Coach Sean Payton mentioned. “We’re in scoring place earlier than Tim’s penalty. We’re in scoring place, [and] the penalty brings us out of scoring place.”

After Stidham’s two sequence, Nix entered and led the Broncos to a area objective on his opening drive. His first two cross makes an attempt fell incomplete earlier than he scrambled to his left and fired a sideline cross to Sutton for a 22-yard acquire.

“That was a giant play,” Nix mentioned. “Large third-down conversion there. … [Sutton] did job of being conscious of the sideline. I appeared up and he was open, and people are at all times the great ones, while you see an open man.”

Nix and the Broncos’ offense scored 20 factors throughout 5 possessions, with the lone missed alternative coming through a Krull fumble on the penultimate drive earlier than halftime.

On Nix’s second drive, he capped a 10-play, 56-yard drive with a 1-yard landing cross to huge receiver Marvin Mims Jr.

“It was a pleasant play by Marv,” Nix mentioned. “He did job of attending to the nook, and we executed it effectively. We have been working towards and repping that play quite a bit, they usually bumped it off and had some house and we have been capable of get a landing. General, simply felt prefer it was good to get on the market and throw some completions, see a brand new protection and finally simply get on the market and compete.”

Nix additionally confirmed his means to scramble, and all three quarterbacks demonstrated a capability to keep away from sacks. In 41 mixed dropbacks, not one of the Broncos’ three quarterbacks have been sacked.

“[The] ball is out,” Payton mentioned. “I just like the timing, the tempo of once we’re releasing it. That was a giant challenge for us a yr in the past with the minus performs. We have been in direction of the again, again half of the league – I believe fourth [lowest]. So, I used to be happy with the timing of what we have been doing throwing the ball. It is necessary.”

Sunday’s sport towards the Colts represented the primary time since 2022 that the Broncos posted a sack-free sport within the preseason.

Wilson performed the ultimate 5 drives of the sport, and he posted the very best quarterback ranking of the three passers with a 103.7 ranking. Wilson accomplished 10-of-13 passes for 117 yards, and he mentioned Sunday represented a “new staff, new begin” for him.

“I assumed we put some nice drives collectively,” Wilson mentioned. “Not a ton of detrimental performs. I assumed we did job of staying forward of the sticks.”

Stidham mentioned he was “tremendous proud” of the Broncos’ full offensive effort, and the trio of quarterbacks mixed to finish 29-of-41 passes for 279 yards, one landing and one interception.

“All three of them did job,” Payton mentioned.