The Denver Broncos captains for the game were Bo Nix, Talanoa Hufanga, and Alex Singleton. They would win the opening coin toss and defer possession to the second half to bring C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans offense out to start the game.
Their drive got off to a good start with a third and eight conversion with Stroud targeting Kris Abrams-Draine to pick up the first down. At midfield, they were faced with another third and eight with Stroud finding another guy in coverage by Abrams-Draine for
another first down into Broncos’ territory. On their next third down, Brandon Jones stopped them short, but on fourth down Stroud again found an open receiver for yet another conversion on that opening drive.
Every set of downs had a third down and the fourth one resulted in a Zach Allen sack. They would not be going for it on that one and out came the field goal unit where he would push it wide.
Bo Nix and the Broncos offense came out throwing with a pass that looked like was caught by Courtland Sutton but was ruled in completed. JK Dobbins then took back-to-back hand offs for 12 yards and a first down. Dobbins would then pick up another 10 yards down to the Texans 35-yard line with Mercedes Lewis in as a blocker on that play to set the edge.
Nix would not find a completion on the drive and Wil Lutz would come out to attempt a 51-yard field goal. The kick was blocked to give the ball right back to the Texans with good field position.
The Broncos defense struggles to cover tight ends with Alex Singleton getting beat hard by Dalton Schultz for a 47-yard gain into the red zone for the Texans next drive. Denver’s defense would stuff the Texans from the one yard line on three straight runs. Houston would go for it, but a false start penalty would end that and bring out the field goal unit.
Texans 3, Broncos 0.
