The Denver Broncos got what they hoped for from Bo Nix and the offense in their second preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. Nix would lead the team on two drives for 10 points, which ended up being most of the offensive production Denver would enjoy on the night as the Packers would run up the score handing Denver their first preseason defeat in three seasons.
Jarrett Stidham had a very rough go at it in the second and third quarters, which is a big part of how Green Bay was able to stack
points in this game. He’ll need to bounce-back and have a strong preseason finale next week.
Broncos vs. Packers final score
First Quarter
The Packers received the open kickoff and Jordan Love nearly threw an immediate interception with Riley Moss stepping in front of Christian Watson. Instead it was just an incompletion. On the very next play, Pat Surtain was beaten on the slant but drive his fist into the ball to knock it loose where Moss recovered. However, the officiating crew immediately came in and ruled the receiver down by contact. On replay it looked instant on both counts, so tie went to the offense.
After a couple of run stuffs, Nik Bonitto was drawn offsides to bring up a third and inches where Bonitto made up for his penalty with a pressure into Love’s face to force the incompletion. On fourth down, Love would find a wide open receiver on a cross for a 20-yard gain with Surtain in coverage to get the Packers into the red zone. They would run like a million plays inside the 20, before finally converting a third and long for a touchdown to cap a 12-play, 66-yard touchdown drive to open th egame.
Bo Nix took the field for the first time since January. His highly anticipated returned to the field began with a run for five yards, but then hit Courtland Sutton high outside who toe-tapped an insane catch that was initially ruled incomplete. He was so good that it needed instant replay to confirm, but somehow the officiating crew didn’t see his toes both in bounds with control of the ball. Typical NFL officiating…
That must have ticked Nix off, because then he went deep to Jaylen Waddle for a big 35-yard gain into Packers territory.
Three plays later on a third and six, Nix found RJ Harvey on a wheel route for a 21-yard touchdown strike to tie the game right back up.
Bo Nix went 3/5 for 60 yards and touchdown on the drive.
Love’s night would be done after that opening drive bringing in Tyrod Taylor at quarterback for the Packers’ second drive of the game. Denver’s first-team defense would dispatch that drive quite easily and quickly to give the ball back to Nix and the offense.
Rookie Jonah Coleman ripped off a five yard run on the first play, then Nix hit Adam Trautman outside get near the first down where a fullback dive would pick up the first down. The next first down came on an out route to Lil’Jordan Humphrey for 14-yards. The first quarter would end after a few miscues and a penalty by Denver who would face a third and 18 on the other side.
Broncos 7, Packers 7.
Second Quarter
The Broncos would add a field goal to close out their second drive, which ended Bo Nix’s night. He would finish 6/9 for 76 yards and a touchdown.
Special teams for Denver was not-so-special on the kickoff giving up a 68-yard return.
Fortunately, the Broncos defense stood tall and held the Packers to a mere field goal to tie the game up. The special teams struck back on the next kick return with Kolbe Katsis streaking down the field for a 40-yard return to set Jarrett Stidham up with good field position. Stiddy would leave the offense to a quick three-and-out though.
An officiating-assisted drive by the Packers ate up the clock late in the second quarter getting them all the way down inside the 10 yard line. On a third and goal from the two, Tyrod Taylor hit a wide receiver on the sidelines for a touchdown. The Packers would add another field goal late. Stiddy would then throw an immediate interception to give the Packers another field goal after that.
Packers 23, Broncos 10.
Third Quarter
Denver’s offense under Stidham continued to be, well, offensive into the second half. They would quickly punt it away. Que Robinson would make sure Denver got the ball right back with a third down sack on the ensuing Packers’ drive.
Stidham got another series to try to break out of the slump he’d been in all game and it looked like the drive would be killed by a holding call. He got most of the yards back in back-to-back dump offs to McLaughlin, before finding an open receiver on third and 11 for the first down to midfield.
The drive would stall again inside field goal range. Payton would decide to go for it on fourth and four where Stiddy would scramble for the first down. That would be it, though, as Denver would settle for a Wil Lutz field goal with less than a minute left in the third.
Packers 23, Broncos 13.
Fourth Quarter
Green Bay’s third team asserted itself to start the fourth quarter with a big gain across midfield that kick started their drive that would result in a game-clinching touchdown.
With Sam Ehlinger finally getting his chance to play well into the fourth, he hit rookie tight end Justin Joly for a nice gain out to midfield. The drive would falter from there after Ehlinger would take a pretty ugly sack on third down to bring out the punt unit. The Packers would add one more field goal and that would be it for preseason game number two.
Packers 33, Broncos 13.
