Week 1 Recap: Broncos vs. Titans | Bo Nix Struggles, Denver’s Defense Dominates
For the first time in the Sean Payton era, the Denver Broncos opened their season with a victory. It was a sloppy game for Payton’s offense and special teams. It looked like the Broncos tried their best to give this game away, but the Titans just weren’t good enough to take it. Bo Nix turned the ball over three times, and special teams had multiple miscues. However, the defense dominated, sacking rookie quarterback Cam Ward six times (according to Statmuse) while carrying Denver to a 20–12 win over the Tennessee Titans at Empower Field.
Game Summary
Tennessee jumped out to an early lead on the opening drive as rookie quarterback Cam Ward repeatedly scrambled his way out of trouble on the way to a field goal. Bo Nix answered with a first drive that started with four straight completions, but three consecutive incompletions followed, and Denver was forced to settle for a field goal of its own.
After a few scoreless drives from each team, a Jeffery Simmons strip sack gave the Titans a short field, where the Broncos were able to hold them to a field goal. The Broncos scored a touchdown with 16 seconds left in the first half on a 47-yard Nix-to-Sutton strike that gave Denver a 10–6 lead going into halftime. But Chimere Dike returned the ensuing kickoff 71 yards, setting up Joey Slye’s 42-yard field goal as time expired, making it 10–9 Broncos at halftime.
Denver got off to a rough start in the third quarter with another Bo Nix interception that led to a Tennessee field goal. The Broncos regrouped and answered with a field goal on the following drive. Tennessee had a chance to steal momentum in the fourth quarter after Marvin Mims muffed a punt, setting Tennessee up deep in Denver territory. The Titans had a short field, but the Broncos’ defense rose to the occasion, recording consecutive sacks to force them off the field.
On the Broncos’ next possession, rookie RJ Harvey ripped off a 50-yard run that set J.K. Dobbins up for a 19-yard touchdown run. That finally gave Denver breathing room. On Denver’s next drive, they ran five minutes off the clock while working their way down to the Titans’ 36-yard line with 1:08 remaining. Denver faced 4th-and-8, and instead of attempting a 53-yard field goal to make it a two-score game, Payton chose to go for the first down. Nix attempted a deep pass to Mims, which fell incomplete. Fortunately for Denver, the defense closed the game with a strip sack of Cam Ward.
Big picture
Denver’s defense lived up to its billing as an elite unit in Week 1, combining a relentless pass rush with playmakers in the secondary. The unit repeatedly bailed out an offense that lacked balance and efficiency. Nix finished with 176 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, and one lost fumble, a stat line that reflected him trying too hard to force big plays.
The Broncos’ running backs totaled 133 yards (according to ESPN), but much of it came on Harvey’s long run in the second half. Denver will need to utilize its ground game earlier and more often to balance the offense and take pressure off Nix.
Sean Payton’s reluctance to commit to the run game, along with his decision to go for it on 4th-and-8 instead of attempting a field goal late, will likely spark debate amongst fans about his coaching tactics. Still, a win is a win. The 1-0 Broncos will face off with the Colts, fresh off a blowout win over the Miami Dolphins, next week in Indianapolis. The Broncos will need to regroup offensively to match their elite defense if they plan on becoming the Super Bowl-bound team they believe they can be.
Final: Broncos 20, Titans 12