Well, that was ugly.
The Denver Broncos’ preseason winning streak has ended after the Packers dominated them tonight. However, the Broncos still end the night as winners due to Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle looking good and making an impact when they were on the field.
At the end of the day, that is all that matters from this game.
With that said, here are my winners and losers from the Broncos’ 33-13 loss to the Packers in Week 2 of the preseason.
WINNER – Bo Nix
Bo Nix is BACK!
The Broncos quarterback took the field for
the first time since suffering a broken ankle vs. the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs and played very well. He led the Broncos to a touchdown drive in his opening drive and connected with Jaylen Waddle for a big 35-yard gain during the drive.
Nix finished the night going 6 of 9 for 76 yards and 1 touchdown.
This is what we needed to see. Nix looked healthy, locked in, and ready for the regular-season opener vs. the Chiefs. We’ll see if he plays in the preseason finale, but I have seen enough and wouldn’t mind if he rested until Week 1.
WINNER – Jaylen Waddle
Jaylen Waddle hit the field for the first time in a Denver Broncos uniform, and he did not disappoint. Waddle got open in the middle of the field, Nix found him and hit him for a 35-yard catch-and-run.
Get used to this, Broncos Country; we are going to see it a lot moving forward.
Waddle looked healthy after sitting out a week or so during training camp with a soft tissue injury, which is great to see. He looked quick, healthy, and like the playmaker the Broncos drafted. Like Nix, I have seen enough and we’ll see you in Week 1 when the games start to count.
LOSER – Jarrett Stidham
After promising preseason opening performance, Jarrett Stidham had a rough showing vs. the Packers. He finished the night 9 of 15 for 82 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 bad interception. While his handle of the backup job may not be in danger, he did not look very good tonight.
The positive for him was that he was the second quarterback up again tonight despite splitting time with Sam Ehlinger with the 2s throughout camp. That is a sign that he is the leader for the backup quarterback job, which seemed like the likely outcome regardless. However, you hoped to see a better performance from Stidham, who lost the confidence of some of the fan base after his performance in the AFC Championship Game.
LOSER – Broncos defense
After a strong showing in Week 1 vs. the Falcons, the Broncos had some struggles vs. the Packers. The starting defense showed some flashes, but still gave up an opening-drive touchdown to Jordan Love, who connected with MarShawn Lloyd
From there, the Packers’ second – and third-string offenses dominated the Broncos’ reserves throughout the remainder of the game. They could not stop their run game, and both their backup and third-string quarterbacks had success.
There were some bright spots, but overall, not the best showing for the Broncos defense, which has been pretty solid up until tonight. Good tape and teaching moments for Vance Joseph and his unit.
WINNER – RJ Harvey
While Harvey may not be the best pure runner on the team, what he can do in the passing game is, what Sean Payton would say, his superpower. He ran a wheel route down the sideline, and Nix threw a beautiful pass to him for an opening-drive touchdown by the offense.
This is where Harvey is going to excel. He could catch 50 or 60 passes this season and be an impact player in space and in the passing game. Dobbins and Coleman will likely handle the majority of the work in the run game, with Harvey filtering in from time to time, but again, he will thrive as a pass catcher.
Other notable winners and losers
- WINNER – WR Pat Bryant: He got the start alongside Waddle and Sutton and has all but locked down the WR3 role.
- WINNER – RB Jonah Coleman: He came in after RJ Harvey, played, I believe, one series, and was out of the game. His limited usage in the preseason shows what the team feels about him, and that is a great sign.
- WINNER – EDGE Que Robinson: He had a nifty pass rush move and a sack. He was pressuring the QB throughout, and despite an iffy roughing-the-passer call, he had a great night.
- LOSER – Injuries: Starting corner Riley Moss left the game with a rib injury during the opening drive of the game and did not return. Not what you want to see.
- LOSER – Broncos reserve OL: They struggled to pass block and to get anything going in the run game. Not a great night for the Broncos reserve offensive line.
- LOSER – Penalties: Broncos had 10 penalties for 79 yards and what seemed like a holding call every time they ran the ball late in the game. Not what you want to see.
- LOSER – Special Teams: They gave up some big returns in the kicking game.
- WINNER – LB Karene Reid: He came in after the starters and made some plays. Sure seems like he’s a favorite for a spot on the 53-man roster once again this season.
- LOSER – Preseason win streak: The Broncos’ preseason win streak that dated back a couple of years ended tonight.
- LOSER – Overall play: The Packers simply outplayed the Broncos in all three phases for the most part tonight. The starters did alright, but after that, it was rough.
