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  • Broncos vs. Eagles: Live updates and highlights from the NFL Week 5 game

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    Stick here for live updates and analysis as Denver takes on the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

    Live updates

    Pre-game updates

    Broncos inactives (9:32 a.m.):

    • QB Sam Ehlinger (emergency 3rd)
    • RB Jaleel McLaughlin
    • DL Sai’Vion Jones
    • OT Frank Crum
    • OLB Que Robinson

    — Gabriel

    Good morning (9:26 a.m.): It’s a beauty of a day here in Philadelphia where the Broncos will look to pull the upset on an Eagle team that’s won 20 of its past 21 games, including 18 straight that quarterback Jalen Hurts has started and finished.

    Not a big surprise at this point but Jaleel McLaughlin’s got tennis shoes on and is hanging out on the Broncos bench.

    Sean Payton says they consider the third RB spot each week, but doesn’t appear to be any change today.

    Looks like Broncos DL Jordan Jackson is going through early warmups and rookie Sai’Vion Jones is in tennis shoes over in the bench area.

    Jones got his first game action last week and Jackson was inactive. Might be going back to JJ against a run-heavy Eagles offense. — Gabriel

    Scouting report (9 a.m.): Check out how the Broncos match up with the Eagles in Luca Evans’ scouting report.

    Game predictions

    Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Eagles 26, Broncos 23

    The Eagles haven’t really hit their stride yet this season and yet are 4-0. The Broncos haven’t really hit their stride yet — though perhaps Monday night was the start — and are 2-2, with a pair of brutal road losses. Those games matter Sunday in this context: Sean Payton’s team hasn’t learned to close away from home yet. Philly, on the other hand, has won 20 of the past 21 games it’s played over the past calendar year-plus. That and special teams could be the difference.

    Luca Evans, beat writer: Broncos 24, Eagles 21

    Let’s get a little crazy. Philadelphia has way overachieved its underlying offensive and defensive numbers this year, winning games with fantastic special-teams and red-zone play. The Broncos have one of the best red-zone defenses in the league, and their run game is rolling. Darren Rizzi’s special teams will face its test of the season, but if they play a clean game and don’t spring themselves off any linemen, the Broncos have a real shot here.

    Troy Renck, columnist: Eagles 24, Broncos 20

    This screams upset … if Denver were at home. The Eagles are vulnerable. Their wings are clipped in the passing game. They have an A.J. Brown problem. They had zero yards through the air in the second half last week. The Broncos could run the ball, take care of the ball, and shock the Eagles. But not in Philadelphia. The Eagles have won 11 straight home games, and haven’t lost there in 13 months. A special teams play will prove the difference.

    Sean Keeler, columnist: Eagles 24, Broncos 21

    With apologies to the great Reggie Jackson, Sean Payton is the new Mr. October. Since 2016, the Broncos head coach sports a 13-2 record, straight-up, in October road games. Like Tampa and the Meadowlands last year, nobody outside the Front Range gives the orange and blue much of a chance. Bo Nix and the Broncos found something on Monday night. Unfortunately, I think what they mostly found is that the Bengals stink.

    Broncos-Eagles NFL Week 5: Must-reads

    Renck: Eagles’ Tush Push is pain in the butt. Broncos don’t need it banned. They need it officiated better

    The Tush Push is a pain in the butt.

    This past spring, the NFL competition and health and safety committees wanted it gone. The NFL owners disagreed, defeating a ban by two votes. So when push came to shove, the play lived on. For now.

    As the Broncos face the Eagles on Sunday, a persuasive argument can be advanced for outlawing the play. The easiest is entertainment. The NFL thrives on attracting eyeballs to television sets. While jokes and conspiracy theories remain about how the league is scripted, no one wants to watch a play that is automatic.

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    Joe Nguyen, Luca Evans, Parker Gabriel, Troy Renck, Matt Schubert

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  • Sean Payton defends Broncos center Luke Wattenberg after penalty-filled Bengals outing

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    A few seconds of silence passed on ESPN’s broadcast Monday night, announcer Joe Buck waiting for the inevitable after a replay of a blindside-block flag on the Broncos’ Alex Palczewski.

    Eventually, color commentator Troy Aikman let loose.

    “I’m not gonna keep my mouth shut,” Aikman chuckled. “That’s a good call. It’s just not a necessary call, you know?”

    The Broncos, too, came away from Monday night’s 28-3 win over the Bengals with a few offensive-line flags they didn’t particularly agree with. Center Luke Wattenberg drew five penalties over the course of 60 minutes against the Bengals — a rough day on paper. But Wattenberg was whistled for two particularly questionable holding calls that Payton lambasted.

    “I’m gonna come to his defense, because there was a handful of — we never send anything to the league, but there were a few of ‘em that, if you guys watch the tape…” Payton said, trailing off. “He’s been playing well.”

    After Monday, the 28-year-old Wattenberg now leads all NFL centers in penalties (six) through Week 4, according to Pro Football Focus. Still, Payton and left tackle Garett Bolles expressed clear faith in the Broncos’ starting center moving forward.

    “I mean, some of those penalties were ticky-tacky,” Bolles told The Denver Post in the locker room Thursday. “It is what it is. You can’t focus on what you did. You gotta focus on what you’re going to do to continue to get better.

    “And I trust Luke,” Bolles continued. “We all love Luke. He leads us up front. He identifies the stuff we need to identify. And without him, we wouldn’t be where we’re at today. So, we love him.”

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    Luca Evans

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  • Why Broncos’ Sean Payton said his ‘B.S. nose’ went up over Tush Push ban efforts

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    Sean Payton and the Broncos on Sunday in Philadelphia may well have to defend the “Tush Push” at some point in a critical short-yardage situation.

    It wouldn’t be the first time Payton, the Denver head coach, has defended the play this year.

    He told reporters Tuesday that he “stood up in favor” of the play this spring when the NFL considered banning it. A proposal put forth by Green Bay in May would have reverted the league’s rulebook to a previous version in which teammates pushing forward a ball carrier in any capacity would be illegal.

    Parker Gabriel’s 7 thoughts after Broncos’ rout of Bengals, including the adjustment that unlocked J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey

    The NFL’s ownership group voted 22 teams in favor of banning and 10 against, coming up two votes shy of the majority needed for a change.

    One of the chief reasons cited by the league for promoting the ban was player health and safety. That, to Payton, did not pass the smell test.

    “It’s pretty simple: The powers that be don’t want it for aesthetic reasons or competitive reasons or because it’s hard to officiate, etc.,” Payton said Tuesday. “But I’ve been involved in those meetings for a long time, and when all of a sudden health and safety was pulled into that — which might be the safest play in football — my (b.s.) nose kind of went up.

    “Look, it’s a quarterback sneak.”

    Renck: It took a month, but Broncos — and fans — finally saw the real Bo Nix

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Bengals and Broncos seek to bounce back Monday night after crushing defeats

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    DENVER (AP) — The medicine comes Monday night for the Cincinnati Bengals or the Denver Broncos.

    The Bengals (2-1) are coming off the worst loss in franchise history, a 48-10 drubbing at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings in their first game since franchise quarterback Joe Burrow suffered a toe injury that required surgery.

    The Broncos (1-2) have lost on walk-off field goals in back-to-back games despite never trailing in the fourth quarter.

    You can watch the Monday Night Football matchup on Denver7 at 6:15 p.m. September 29.

    Denver failed to close out the Colts and the Chargers on the road. The Broncos’ five combined fourth-quarter drives in those games netted a missed 42-yard field goal indoors, two three-and-outs, a red-zone interception and a chip-shot field goal that followed first-and-goal from the 5.

    Last week, Bo Nix overthrew a wide-open receiver three times on deep balls in Denver’s 23-20 loss, hallmarks of a sputtering start that’s raised questions about whether coach Sean Payton put too much on Nix’s plate or his shoulders by talking up his second-year quarterback and the Broncos’ Super Bowl chances.

    “I don’t think so,” Nix said Thursday. “I think it’s better than him talking about how tough of a season it’s going to be. So, I’d rather have the confidence going in and have the whole season to play and just get to go out there and play it out (rather than) a coach that doesn’t really have the confidence in us.”

    Addressing Nix’s overthrows — and his footwork on the heaves — was about 50th on Payton’s to-do list this week and Nix said he wasn’t overly concerned about them, either.

    “I know I’m going to miss several throws in the future and I’m probably going to miss a few deep ones,” Nix said. “I’ve just got to keep throwing them.”

    The Bengals won their first two games but lost Burrow in Week 2 and were awful last week at Minnesota, turning the ball over five times. They surrendered two defensive touchdowns and the other three gaffes resulted in 17 more Vikings points.

    Jake Browning has already thrown five interceptions in the seven quarters he has played. Coach Zac Taylor said the game plan doesn’t change much with Browning in for Burrow, but Cincinnati will need to be more balanced on offense.

    The Bengals are averaging only 2.4 yards per carry, and lead back Chase Brown is getting hit behind the line of scrimmage on nearly 80% of his carries. Brown is averaging only 2 yards per carry through three games.

    “I think it’s unfair to put it on a player,” Taylor said. “It’s on all of us offensively, collectively, to find a better answer.”

    Uncorking Higgins

    Cincinnati receiver Tee Higgins has just seven receptions for 104 yards so far and last week he caught just one of two passes thrown his way for 15 yards. But a trip to Denver might just be the antidote. Last December, he caught 11 passes for 131 yards and three TDs in the Bengals’ 30-24 overtime win over the Broncos.

    He had a dozen targets in that game alone but has 14 combined targets in 2025.

    “That’s the thing about our guys, there’s not an ego involved in any of this,” Taylor said. “There’s been games before where some of our main guys have caught a ball or have been targeted once. They know the next game might be 12 targets and 10 catches.”

    Mile High magic

    The Broncos have won six consecutive home games, prompting wide receiver Courtland Sutton to declare, “They don’t call it home-field advantage for nothing.”

    Part of that advantage is the altitude.

    “Our guys understand what it’s gonna feel like a little bit,” Taylor said. “You can get winded. Countless times I’ve been there. … So as the game goes, you just have to be mindful of which guys are getting a lot of reps and try to give them breaks when you can.”

    Close-out conundrums

    A play here, a play there, and the Broncos would be among the league’s 3-0 teams.

    “I think that’s the crazy thing,” Nix said. “We’ve played really good opponents and we’ve led in the end of the game. We’re one play in the fourth quarter away from putting the game out of reach. It’s going to be soon that we make that play.

    “But we definitely have to learn from these losses and learn why we’re not finishing the game, learn why we’re not putting the game out (reach). When you play a good team and you don’t do that and you keep letting them hang around, they’re going to find a play. So, we’ve got to be the team that finds that play.”

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    AP Sports Writer Joe Reedy contributed to this report.

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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    The Associated Press

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  • Sean Payton says Bo Nix’s overthrows aren’t the Broncos’ biggest concern

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    ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Bo Nix’s costly overthrows may be getting all the attention, but they were the least of coach Sean Payton’s worries as he dissected the Denver Broncos’ last-second loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

    “Driving in today, that would be like 50th on my to-do list,” Payton said Monday.

    Bigger worries included the Broncos’ 10 penalties for 90 yards; their second straight squandered lead in the fourth quarter that led to a walk-off field goal; a sputtering, discombobulated offense that went three-and-out on half of its drives; and a defense that keeps coming up big except when it matters most.

    In the first half, Nix’s deep pass to Marvin Mims Jr. on a flea-flicker sailed long before he connected with Courtland Sutton for a 52-yard touchdown on fourth down.

    With the game tied just after the two-minute warning, Sutton again got a favorable matchup and was wide open, but Nix’s deep throw sailed just out of his reach.

    The Broncos punted and the Chargers drove for the game-winning field goal as time expired, leaving Denver (1-2) essentially three games behind the Chargers (3-0), who have beaten all three of their AFC West rivals.

    “Courtland got outside of him and got going, and unfortunately, I just missed in front by a couple of inches,” Nix said. “If I had to do it again, I would have taken a little bit more time, held onto it maybe a count longer and given him something where he could go up for it, maybe get a pass interference.”

    Nix needn’t worry about having incurred Payton’s wrath.

    “I think you’ve got to be careful you’re not overcoaching the deep ball that’s going off the fingertips,” Payton said. “The more concerning problem would be if you’re leaving those balls inside where they’re susceptible for an interception.

    “So, he climbs the pocket, he’s doing a great job. Both of those are third-and-long situations where there’s a different type of pass rush. That’s not what’s concerning to me this morning after the loss (Sunday), the deep ball misses. That wouldn’t be what’s on my mind.”

    What’s working

    Despite the misfire late in the game, the connection between Nix and Sutton was productive. Sutton caught six passes for 118 yards, including two big fourth-down conversions: the long TD and a 22-yard gain on a crossing route.

    What needs help

    Sutton’s supporting cast. They combined to gain just 35 yards on eight receptions.

    Stock up

    RB J.K. Dobbins had 83 yards on 11 carries against his former team, a 7.5-yard average.

    Stock down

    TE Adam Trautman committed a costly penalty in crunch time for the second straight week. Against Indianapolis, his facemask flag helped give the ball back to the Colts, who ultimately kicked a game-winning field goal. Against the Chargers, he lined up on the wrong side of the ball, stalling a drive. That led to a game-tying touchdown for the Chargers in the fourth quarter.

    Injuries

    LB Dre Greenlaw, placed on injured reserve over the weekend, has to miss three more games. The Broncos bet on his troublesome quad injury getting better faster and decided not to put him on IR when the season started. They lost that bet and now won’t have their prized free-agent acquisition until mid-October at the earliest.

    Key numbers

    15.4% — The conversion rate on third down (2 of 13) for the Broncos, whose average distance on third down was a whopping 11 yards.

    6 — Half of the Broncos’ dozen drives were three-and-outs.

    1-6 — Payton’s coaching record against Jim Harbaugh, whose only loss to Payton came in 2013 when he was with the 49ers and Payton coached the Saints.

    Next steps

    The Broncos host the Cincinnati Bengals (1-2) next Monday night.

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

    Watch our latest Broncos coverage

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    Arnie Stapleton, AP Pro Football Writer

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  • Keeler: Can Broncos QB Bo Nix be fixed? Yep! But Sean Payton needs to do these 4 things first

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    Can we really call Bo Nix’s feet “happy” when they make Broncos Country so miserable?

    If I’m Sean Payton, the first thing I’m doing with Nix is sitting the quarterback down in my office. The second thing is popping open my laptop. The third is showing Nix a clip of the last 45 seconds from the first half of Broncos-Chargers this past Sunday.

    The fourth is congratulating the kid for finding Courtland Sutton over the top for a sumptuous 52-yard score on fourth-and-2. The fifth is asking Nix to lean in closer to the laptop. To take a long, careful look at his tootsies on that perfect rainbow to Sutton.

    They’re set.

    Like a mighty oak. Right foot planted. Rock back. Smooth release. Easy money.

    Nix has 21 NFL starts under his belt. He still tippy-taps in the pocket like a skittish rookie.

    We love Bo because he can go “off-script,” which is football shorthand for improvising when stuff hits the fan. The ability to turn nothing into something.

    The problem: Nix’s feet are so fast, they’re sometimes two steps ahead of his brain.

    He’s a talented young man locked in an almost constant internal struggle. His upper half is running the play while his lower half is plotting an escape route.

    When the two are in tandem, you get Sutton walking, untouched, into the end zone. But those joys are rare these days. Bo’s mechanics won’t allow it.

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    Sean Keeler

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  • Justin Herbert rallies Chargers for 23-20 win over Broncos and 3-0 start

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    INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert found Keenan Allen for a tying touchdown with 2:44 remaining and then led Los Angeles into position for Cameron Dicker’s game-ending 43-yard field goal as the Chargers beat the Denver Broncos 23-20 on Sunday for their first 3-0 start since 2002.

    After Herbert eluded the Broncos’ pass rush and connected with Allen — who fought off Riley Morris in the end zone for the 20-yard score — Bo Nix and the Broncos (1-2) went three-and-out. That set up Herbert and the Chargers on their 32, and he went 4 of 4 on the final drive.

    Herbert was 28 of 47 for 300 yards with the TD and one interception. At 27 years, 195 days, he became the youngest NFL player to reach 2,000 career completions, surpassing Drew Bledsoe. Herbert did so in his 82nd career game, making him the second-fastest player to reach the mark.

    Coach Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers beat their third straight division rival after opening with wins over AFC West opponents Kansas City and Las Vegas. Their stretch of not allowing a touchdown in the second half ended against Denver.

    Trailing 10-3, the Broncos engineered three scoring plays in 3 minutes, 40 seconds over the end of the second quarter and start of the third to take a 17-10 lead.

    Nix found a wide-open Courtland Sutton for a 52-yard TD that capped a seven-play, 72-yard drive and pulled the Broncos within 10-7 with 38 seconds left before halftime. It was the first time Denver had crossed midfield and it came on a busted coverage by Chargers safety Alohi Gilman and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste.

    The Broncos struck quickly to open the third. J.K. Dobbins scored on a 19-yard run up the left sideline in which he avoided multiple tacklers, giving Denver its first lead at 14-10.

    Wide receiver Derius Davis committed a costly fumble on the Chargers’ next possession. JL Skinner recovered at the Chargers 30 and four plays later, the Broncos got a 42-yard field goal by Wil Lutz for a 17-10 lead.

    The Chargers got a 32-yard field goal by Dicker on their first drive of the game and a 3-yard TD run by rookie Omarion Hampton to lead 10-3 with 1:53 left in the second.

    Nix finished 14 of 23 for 153 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

    Injuries

    Chargers: RB Najee Harris did not return after being hurt on a non-contact play in the second quarter. The team said he had a left ankle injury. … G Mekhi Becton sustained a concussion in the second quarter and did not return.

    Up next

    Broncos: Host Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 29.

    Chargers: Visit the New York Giants next Sunday.

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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    The Associated Press

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  • Broncos host Evergreen High football and flag football teams for practice

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    Nothing has been normal recently for Matt Van Praag’s Evergreen High School football team.

    The group and Evergreen’s flag football team have been displaced since the Sept. 10 shooting at the school that left two classmates critically wounded.

    The football team’s game last week against George Washington was called off and will not be made up.

    On Tuesday, though, Van Praag said he saw his team find a bit of that normalcy they’ve been looking for.

    It just so happened to be at the Broncos’ practice facility.

    The Evergreen High football and flag football teams traveled down to Dove Valley to practice at Denver’s indoor practice facility and then afterward heard from general manager George Paton and other members of the organization.

    “We practiced two days last week at Chatfield, and so on that Tuesday, when we went to the Broncos facility, it was the first time we really had a real practice where the kids were really engaged and it felt like they were having fun,” Van Praag told The Post on Sunday. “It changed the entire perspective. The other two days were a little slower; the kids weren’t really focused, it was hard for them to focus and kind of get back into the swing of things.

    “Being in the facility really just got the kids really excited. From the first warmup and getting dressed in the locker room all the way through the end of practice, it was really the first normal feeling — except for the location — for our team since the incident.”

    Evergreen’s offensive line coach is longtime Tampa Bay center Ryan Jensen. In the aftermath of the shooting, Jensen reached out to the Broncos about a potential visit. Turns out, the team also needed a place to practice.

    Soon, a plan came together.

    Evergreen High remains closed, though a phased reopening begins this week with staff back in the building Monday and, eventually, students beginning a partial return to school Thursday and Friday.

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Broncos’ Bo Nix, Sean Payton explain — in slightly different terms — sideline interaction vs. Colts

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    As Bo Nix jogged past head coach Sean Payton on the sideline during the third quarter Sunday afternoon at Indianapolis, Payton tried to say something to him.

    Nix carried on toward the bench before Payton turned him around by calling after him. The conversation that ensued was a lively one.

    It followed a stalled drive, which began to go south when Nix and rookie running back RJ Harvey weren’t on the same page for a run play, leading to a broken scramble from Nix. Two plays later, Denver punted.

    On Wednesday, both Nix and Payton downplayed the exchange, though they remembered it differently.

    “It wasn’t what it appeared,” Payton said Wednesday. “It was an affirmation of, ‘This is what we’re wanting to do.’ I was looking at it and trying to think — I don’t recall — I think it was more about excitement. I saw it, and it was following, I think, a series where we ran it pretty well.

    “I would know if there was ever one of those moments. I guess what I’m saying is I don’t think it was what it appeared. In fact, I know it wasn’t.”

    The Broncos did, indeed, run the ball well on their first possession of the third quarter, but then ran three times for 6 yards on the drive that preceded the exchange, including the Nix scramble on the broken play.

    Nix, for his part, said he had to repeat what happened on a play for the preceding series because of the noise in Lucas Oil Stadium.

    “For whatever reason, we’re allowing conversations to become bigger than what they are,” Nix said Wednesday. “We oftentimes forget that it’s a big stadium and a lot of people are talking at the same time, so you’ve got to be a little louder and more vocal.

    “That was just something as simple as, he asked me what happened on a play, I told him. I turned, and he couldn’t quite hear, so I turned back and told him again. There was no issue. Yeah, it was just a quick conversation with the head coach. Nothing pressing.”

    Nix didn’t look to be pressing much at all Sunday.

    He and the offense failed to score on three second-half drives that could have extended a lead in the Broncos’ eventual 29-28 last-second loss, but the second-year quarterback on the whole played much better in Week 2 than in Week 1.

    “There’s plenty of good plays, but I’m focused on the ones that didn’t go our way, because that’s how you learn and get better and find ways to improve,” Nix said Wednesday.

    Nix threw touchdown passes to Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin and Adam Trautman. For most of the first three quarters, he played with good rhythm despite a lack of production from top receiver Courtland Sutton (one catch for 6 yards) and Engram (one catch for 12).

    “Sometimes if it’s a progression read, then it’s a progression, and who gets it sometimes maybe isn’t as easy to predict,” Payton said. “There’s other times where you can try to work for an isolation — a lot of it is scheme-dependent. But the new guys here, we talk about (receivers Trent Sherfield Sr. and Pat Bryant), those guys are getting acclimated and obviously they give you flexibility.”

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    Parker Gabriel

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  • Renck: Blaming refs for Broncos’ loss to Colts is just plain dumb. This one’s on Denver

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    INDIANAPOLIS — Time to run mental lapses.

    And extra gassers at the end of practice.

    Here in Naptown, a poster with Colts players adorns the J.W. Marriott, paying tribute to late team owner Jim Irsay. It reads: For the Boss. For the City. For the Shoe.

    For the love of God, this ending was stupid. A series of cognitive disconnects, each more costly than the last, resulted in a 29-28 walk-off loss for the Broncos.

    This wasn’t just a Denver loss; this was the ultimate brain freeze. Like guzzling a 32-ounce Slurpee through a straw in a single drink.

    Unwisely conceived: Darren Rizzi, why ask Dondrea Tillman to try to block a 60-yard field goal from a kicker who has never made a 50-yarder? Poorly executed: If you are going to speed, even if by one mile per hour over, don’t get caught — and stained by failure.

    The Broncos were dealt their first loss of the season in their first road game of the season in a way that, as far as the internet can tell, was a first.

    In four weeks, if your friends ask you how the Broncos’ special season became ordinary, the story starts here. When they ask you at the office Christmas party why they have to win out against Kansas City and the Chargers to make the playoffs, remind them of the Colts.

    The Broncos put themselves in a dangerous position with upcoming cage matches against the Chargers, Bengals and Eagles by squandering a game the Colts were begging for them to win. Or at least coach Shane Steichen was as he performed his best Nathaniel Hackett Clueless in Seattle impersonation.

    When writing the Broncos’ history since Super Bowl 50, what unfolded before our wide eyes demands an entry. Let’s start at the end and work backward.

    Leading 28-26, the Broncos took possession at their 35-yard line with 8:29 remaining. On an afternoon when the offense finally awoke from its summer hibernation, this represented a chance for a statement drive in a benchmark game. Siphon the clock. Kick a short field goal, and let the beleaguered defense leave with its dignity with a clinching sack of Daniel Jones.

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    Troy Renck

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  • Spencer Shrader converts from 45 yards after penalty on 60-yard miss and Colts beat Broncos 29-28

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    INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Spencer Shrader made a 45-year-old field goal with no time left after the Broncos were penalized for leverage on his missed 60-yard try, and the Indianapolis Colts beat Denver 29-28 on Sunday for their first 2-0 start since 2009.

    Trailing by two with 3:15 left, the Colts played conservatively on their final drive, with Jonathan Taylor running the ball seven times and Daniel Jones throwing only one pass. Those plays netted 26 yards and set up Shrader’s attempt from the Colts logo at midfield that missed short and right.

    But Dondrea Tillman was flagged for leverage — using a teammate to vault himself into the air to try to block the kick. The 15-yard personal-foul penalty put Indy well within Shrader’s range, and he easily converted his fifth field goal of the game.

    Jones went 23 of 34 for 316 yards and a touchdown. He also scored on a 1-yard run in his second start with the Colts. It was his first 300-yard game since throwing for 321 yards on Sept. 17, 2023, for the New York Giants.

    Taylor finished with 25 carries for 165 yards, caught a TD pass and posted the 25th 100-yard game of his career, breaking a tie for second in franchise history with Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson.

    Bo Nix finished 22 of 30 for 206 yards with three TDs — all in the first half — and one interception for Denver (1-1). Troy Franklin had a touchdown catch and finished with career bests of eight catches for 89 yards. J.K. Dobbins rushed 14 times for 76 yards and a score.

    But the Broncos couldn’t put it away after moving to the Colts 24-yard line late in the fourth quarter. Wil Lutz clanked a 42-yard field goal off the right upright to set up the Colts’ final drive.

    It was a surprisingly high-scoring game from two defenses that were among the stingiest in the league last week. There were only three punts, all by Denver. Indy avoided punting for the second straight week, matching a feat the Washington Commanders achieved in Weeks 2 and 3 last season.

    Shrader made field goals of 36 and 28 yards to cut a 28-20 deficit to two after Dobbins’ score made it 28-20 early in the third quarter.

    Stopped, finally

    Last week, the Colts became the first team to score on every possession since 1977. This week, they opened with two field goals and a TD on their first three drives to make it 10 for 10.

    The streak ended when tight end Tyler Warren was stopped short of a first down on a fourth-and-1 run with 7:28 left in the first half. Then the Colts lost their cool on Denver’s ensuing 50-yard TD drive, drawing four penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Indy’s sideline after coach Shane Steichen tossed his hat and ran down the field to argue a pass interference call on third-and-7.

    Injuries

    Broncos: Cornerback Patrick Surtain II, last year’s NFL defensive player of the year, needed help to get off the field in the first half with an injured left ankle but returned on the next series after getting the ankle taped. Zach Allen also came out early but returned.

    Colts: All-Pro left guard Quenton Nelson appeared to hurt his knee in the final two minutes of the first half but returned after halftime.

    Up next

    Broncos: Visit the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.

    Colts: Play their first away game next Sunday at Tennessee.

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    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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    The Associated Press

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  • La Alma Lincoln Park residents weigh new Broncos stadium at Burnham Yard: ‘It’s going to change everything’

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    Two schools of thought flitter through the streets just behind the Denver Broncos’ planned future home, separated by just one block but standing an entire world apart.

    On a sunny Tuesday morning, 35-year-old Rita Guerrero stepped out from her door on North Mariposa Avenue, lively pup Olive barely contained by her leash. Guerrero bought her home in the La Alma Lincoln Park neighborhood five years ago, and smiled when she thinks of the wealth of possibilities that now exist a quarter mile away at the defunct Burnham Yard.

    The Broncos just announced their plans to construct a new stadium in her backyard, and it could mean a livelier neighborhood. And exciting features for families. And increased property values.

    “This is very exciting,” Guerrero beamed. “I’m very happy. It’ll be great for the team, great for the neighborhood. I really see that there’s, probably — I mean, there really can only be upside.”

    Broncos name Burnham Yard preferred site for new stadium development

    On a cloudy Tuesday afternoon, a few hundred feet away, 46-year-old Nicole Jones and 51-year-old Desiree Maestas crossed onto North Lipan Street, discussing the change to come. Jones has lived all her life a few houses up the block, and frowned when she thinks of the wealth of possibilities that now exist with the Broncos’ professed plan to develop at Burnham Yard.

    It could mean more traffic. And more construction. And increased property values.

    “I think it’s going to change everything,” Jones said. “Because everything’s going to go up. Especially in this neighborhood, everything’s going to go up. And a lot of us ain’t even going to be able to afford to live here anymore. Because the stadium is going to be right in our neighborhood. Right in our backyard.”

    “So, yeah,” she repeated, somber. “We’re not going to be able to afford to live here no more.”

    Residents of La Alma Lincoln Park who spoke to The Denver Post on Tuesday were split on the complicated reality that now awaits, after the Broncos officially announced that they’ve zeroed in on Burnham Yard as the planned site of a privately-financed mixed-use stadium district.

    Some residents lamented the change that continues to rattle the historic Denver neighborhood, one that has already experienced generations of displacement. Some residents championed the city’s efforts to keep the team local: they are the Denver Broncos, 39-year-old Barbara Ott emphasized from her porch, not the Lone Tree Broncos.

    The general median is a sort of cautious optimism, as community leader Simon Tafoya put it.

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  • Denver’s La Alma-Lincoln Park residents look forward to new Broncos stadium, neighborhood transformation

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    DENVER — After the announcement of a new Denver Broncos stadium in the historic La Alma-Lincoln Park neighborhood, residents and local businesses are weighing what that transformation could mean for their vibrant community.

    As one of Denver’s oldest and most diverse neighborhoods, La Alma-Lincoln Park has seen considerable change in recent years, with a burgeoning art scene on Santa Fe and light rail access on Osage Street drawing more people to the area. The arrival of a new stadium promises to bring even more activity and a new spotlight.

    “I think it will bring some fresh life to the neighborhood, more opportunities for the neighborhood, for the restaurant,” said Tiffany Emmons, assistant general manager of the Buckhorn Exchange.

    The legendary steakhouse, a local staple for more than a century, is hopeful that being right across from the stadium will mean more customers, especially on game days.

    “It’s a big thing to be just like plopping down into your neighborhood, but I think it’ll be good,” Emmons said. “From a restaurant perspective, to have kind of that new base, to even be able to be creative here and do some different things, to kind of invite people who are going to the stadium for a game, you know, get them to come in. We’ve talked about… trying to do some special events on game days, utilize our lounge space, our bar, and try to get some of those game visitors to come over and visit us.”

    For neighborhood stakeholders, the stadium represents more than just football; it’s a chance to introduce even more people to La Alma-Lincoln Park’s unique history and culture.

    “It’s absolutely exciting. This is big news for our neighborhood. It’ll be very impactful,” said David Griggs, board member at large for the La Alma-Lincoln Park Neighborhood Association. “It’ll have just many impacts, from the number of people who learn about our neighborhood, use our neighborhood, transportation access, and all the people who learn about La Alma-Lincoln Park and the history of Denver that’s represented here.”

    Griggs sees the stadium as an opportunity to have the neighborhood “rediscovered and also appreciated as one of the birthplaces of Denver, probably the second oldest neighborhood in the city.” He also emphasized the importance of development being done with respect for the area’s diversity.

    “If things are done right and with respect, it’s absolutely good news for the neighborhood,” Griggs said. “We’re hoping to work with Broncos ownership so that they can help the neighborhood and do it with respect, understand the culture, and appreciate its diversity.”

    Residents Diane Young and Jerry De-La-Cruz, who have lived in La Alma-Lincoln Park for over 20 years, are optimistic.

    “This is already a residential neighborhood, so hopefully it won’t go downhill, but rather uphill,” Young said. “There’s all sorts of good stuff. And they are building here and there, so new homes. There’s got to be more than the stadium there. That’s a huge plot of land that they bought, so what they’re going to do with the rest of it will be really interesting.”

    As La Alma-Lincoln Park faces another chapter in its long history, residents and business owners are preparing for change and hoping it brings only good things.

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    Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Colin Riley

    Denver7’s Colin Riley is a multimedia journalist who tells stories impacting all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in reporting on transportation and our state’s senior population. If you’d like to get in touch with Colin, fill out the form below to send him an email.

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  • Keeler: Broncos won’t just be playing in Super Bowls. Thanks to Burnham Yard, we’ll be hosting them

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    Second stadium down, one Yard to go.

    Before you blow your top over the lid at Burnham Yard, the prospective home of the Denver Broncos starting in 2031, did you know that, since 1990, the average temperature of a playoff home game in the Mile High City was 40 degrees?

    And that of the Broncos’ last 15 postseason games in Denver, eight of them — per Pro-Football-Reference.com — were played in temperatures 37 degrees or warmer? The last five Empower Field playoff temps: 43, 46, 40, 41, 63.

    Snow down, Broncomaniacs.

    Denver won’t just be playing in Super Bowls over the next decade.

    We’ll be hosting them.

    “The Broncos have been, since Day 1 of the franchise, an important fabric and part of the community in Denver,” Broncos CEO Greg Penner told The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel in an exclusive interview. “Finding a site of that size that we could weave into the downtown area and all that just was incredibly unique, combined with the historic nature of the site. …

    “We have the bones of the old railyard and a couple of buildings and a unique site that we think enables us to create something unique and special, both with the stadium and the mixed-use development around it.”

    The Walton-Penner Group just raised the roof without raising taxes. Despite overtures from Lone Tree and Aurora, they’re keeping the Broncos in Denver. Where they belong.

    In other words, Penner and his wife Carrie Walton-Penner read the room the way Peyton Manning read defenses at the line of scrimmage.

    “We’re really thrilled that they came with that partnership mentality and not, like we’ve seen in other cities, ‘You give us a bunch of money or we’ll leave,’” Colorado Gov. Jared Polis told The Post. “I think the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group is deeply committed to Denver and deeply committed to the community.”

    No overt public money.

    No political campaign.

    No drama.

    No games.

    Well, except the big stuff. The biggest. For decades, the Super Bowl, the Final Four, the College Football Playoff, the World Cup or WrestleMania had a reason to fly over the Front Range and wave to us while they were taking their respective parties elsewhere.

    Not anymore. You want a venue with 60,000-plus seats that can host Taylor Swift in March or April? Check. You want a venue where football fans can still feel the elements on an autumn gameday? Got that, too. Open that bad boy up and let the Colorado sunshine in.

    We don’t need the cool kids on the coasts to tell us Denver is the best darn sports city in America. But building a multi-purpose stadium at Burnham Yard gives the Front Range many more chances to prove it — and on the largest stages imaginable.

    New Orleans officials recently estimated that Super Bowl LIX was worth more than $1.25 billion in economic impact to the Crescent City. San Antonio boasted an economic bump of $440 million from hosting the Men’s Basketball Final Four this past April.

    You wouldn’t want a piece of that?

    The Penners do. And thank goodness.

    “The goal is to create something that is active on gameday,” Penner stressed to The Post, “but also (for) the rest of the year.”

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  • After Nix’s rough season opener, where is Broncos Country on the ‘Bo-liever Meter?’

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    DENVER — After Bo Nix’s rough performance in the Broncos’ season-opening win over the Titans on Sunday, Denver7’s Ryan Fish asked Broncos Country to rate their “Bo-lief” in the quarterback on a scale of zero to 10.

    • Check out our recap of Sunday’s game in the story below:

    Denver Broncos

    Broncos spoil Cam Ward’s debut with a 20-12 win over the Titans

    Nix tossed a beautiful touchdown to Courtland Sutton in Sunday’s win, but also threw two interceptions and lost a fumble. The heavily-favored Broncos leaned on their dominant defense to secure a win.

    Broncos fan Bryan Crouch rated himself an eight on the “Bo-liever Meter.”

    “They were lucky to be playing a really bad team,” he said. “It’s Week 1, though, you know, who knows? I’m sure they’ll get better… I’m a Bo-liever, absolutely.”

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    Roland Moellenberg said he was a 10 before the season, and still a nine after Week 1.

    “I hope it was a fluke,” he told Denver7. “Yeah, he didn’t look his best, but maybe it took him three weeks [to improve] last season, maybe better this year… It’s his team. We’re riding with him right now.”

    Roland Moellenberg

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    “He’s seeing a lot of things out there,” said Broncos fan Devion Kittler, who said seven out of 10. “I felt like him and the receivers gotta get on the same page.”

    Devion Kittler

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    Jonathan Sanchez also said seven, down from nine before the game.

    “Pretty bad game to be honest,” he told Denver7. “It’s going to be, I think, harder for him to have the success that he had last year, because defense now knows him better, have studied him. So yeah, I think he has to improve.”

    Jonathan Sanchez

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    Despite some calls to the Denver7 Broncos Hotline calling for Nix to be benched, there seems to be a lot of optimism, even after the offense struggled to get on track.

    Alberto Barrios was especially excited about the team and the quarterback, coming all the way from Colombia to see the season opener.

    “I’ve been a fan for like, 30 years, and this is my first time in Denver,” he said. “I’m a Bo-liever, yeah. 10 out of 10… It’s just the start of the season. I think he will be great.”

    Alberto Barrios

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    Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Ryan Fish

    Denver7’s Ryan Fish covers stories that have an impact in all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in covering artificial intelligence, technology, aviation and space. If you’d like to get in touch with Ryan, fill out the form below to send him an email.

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  • Broncos spoil Cam Ward’s debut with a 20-12 win over the Titans

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    DENVER (AP) — Bo Nix overcame three turnovers and the Denver Broncos spoiled top overall draft pick Cam Ward’s debut with a 20-12 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, winning despite a sloppy offensive performance and two key special-teams blunders.

    Nix threw a touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton to go with his two interceptions and lost fumble, and rookie running back R.J. Harvey’s 50-yard scamper set up J.K. Dobbins’ 19-yard TD burst up the middle that made it 20-12 midway through the fourth quarter.

    Denver’s stingy defense held Ward to 12-of-28 passing for 112 yards with no touchdowns. Ward didn’t have an interception, but fumbled the ball away in the final minute. The Titans managed just 134 yards on 55 plays and went 2 for 14 on third down. Ward was sacked six times.

    Quarterbacks taken at No. 1 overall are 4-14-1 in the common draft era starting a season opener. When Caleb Williams got the win with Chicago last year, it was the first season-opening win for a No. 1 pick quarterback since David Carr in 2002.

    Ward didn’t join Williams, instead adding his name to a long list of No. 1s who lost their first game. Since 2000, the last 17 quarterbacks taken No. 1 overall are 1-15-1.

    Tennessee had three chances to tie it in the final five minutes but came up empty each time.

    After holding Nix to no gain on fourth-and-inches at the Denver 46 with 5:07 remaining, Tennessee went three-and-out and punted for the eighth time.

    The Titans stuffed Marvin Mims Jr. well short of the line to gain with under 3 minutes to go, but star defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was flagged for unnecessary roughness when he knocked Mims to the ground after the whistle. Earlier, Simmons was responsible for Nix’s first lost fumble as a pro.

    That extended the drive, which ended on a head-scratcher when coach Sean Payton called for a pass play on fourth-and-8 from the Tennessee 36 with 1:05 remaining.

    An incompletion gave Ward & Co. one last shot but after three incompletions, Ward was strip-sacked by Ja’Quan McMillian on fourth down and Broncos first-round draft pick Jahdae Barron recovered the loose ball.

    The teams combined to score 10 points in the final 16 seconds of the first half after managing a combined three field goals up to that point.

    Nix threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton that gave Denver its first lead at 10-6, but instead of blasting the ball through the end zone for a touchback, Wil Lutz kicked off to the 5 and Chimere Dike returned it 71 yards to the Denver 24.

    Joey Slye nailed a 42-yard field goal to pull Tennessee to 10-9 and then kicked off through the end zone for a touchback with 2 seconds left.

    Denver’s defense bailed out the Broncos all afternoon.

    Mims, a two-time All-Pro punt returner, muffed a punt early in the fourth quarter, giving Tennessee possession at the Denver 24. Consecutive sacks by Jonah Ellis and Zach Allen pushed the Titans out of field goal range, however.

    Broncos fans ready for season

    Injuries:

    Titans: RB Kalel Mullings sustained an ankle injury in the first half. … Broncos: TE Evan Engram suffered a calf injury in the second half, stayed in the game and then limped off in the fourth quarter and tossed his helmet. … Denver was without ILB Dre Greenlaw (quad), DT Malcolm Roach (calf), whom they placed on IR Saturday, sidelining him for at least four weeks, and TE Nate Adkins (ankle).

    Up n

    ext

    Titans: Host the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday.

    Broncos: At the Indianapolis Colts next Sunday.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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  • Broncos WR room in good hands with Courtland Sutton, an improvement ‘thief,’ leading the way

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    The Broncos’ 2025 wide receiver corps has a high ceiling because of the upside several players in the room possess.

    Perhaps just as important: The group has a pretty stable floor because of Courtland Sutton, the trusty veteran and No.1 option.

    Sutton is coming off perhaps the best year of his professional career in 2024, is newly signed to a four-year, $92 million contract extension, and is primed to carry on into 2025 as the top option for second-year quarterback Bo Nix in the passing game.

    None of that seemed like a guarantee when the 2018 second-round pick got off to a slow start with Nix last year, but over the course of the season, their connection continually strengthened.

    By the end of Week 18, Sutton logged career highs in catches (81) and targets (135), topped 1,000 yards for the first time since 2019, and set himself up to be part of Denver’s long-term future.

    “He’s been a captain,” head coach Sean Payton said this summer. “If he didn’t say a word, the young guys watch his preparation and his work ethic. Yet, obviously, his experience (helps) with all of those players. It really starts with his preparation in (the building) and on to the field.

    “He’s everything you want in a pro.”

    In 2024, he started slow but turned himself into everything Nix needed as a rookie trying to navigate his first NFL season.

    Sutton finished third in third-down catches (30) and led the NFL in both third-down yardage (452) and first downs generated (27), according to Football Database data.

    At 6-foot-4 and 215-plus pounds, Sutton gave Nix a big target to trust down the field and in traffic.

    According to Next Gen Stats, Sutton accounted for 45.7% of the Broncos’ downfield targets, which was the second-highest share on throws of 10-plus air yards in the league.

    That led to a lot of good (812 yards on downfield throws between Nix and Sutton), some bad (six interceptions on such attempts), and a clear trust built between the two.

    Payton said this summer that Sutton reminds him of former New Orleans receiver Marques Colston, a seventh-round pick who went on to log six 1,000-yard seasons, 9,759 total receiving yards and 72 touchdowns over a 10-year career.

    “Marques was maybe a little quieter, but day in and day out, so consistent in their performance,” Payton said. “And then on gamedays, they were very similar. They both played split end, strong hands in traffic, really, really good football instincts. …

    “When you get to know (Sutton), he doesn’t have too many bad days. Those guys with the right energy, there’s a lot to be said for that because you’re going to hit some tough times and you’re going to hit some walls during the course of any season. He’s one of those guys who is part of the solution. Always.”

    Sutton turns 30 in early October — he’ll celebrate the big, round number while the Broncos are in London preparing to play the New York Jets — but has shown no signs of slowing down. Even in 2024, when he skipped the voluntary portion of Denver’s offseason in protest of his contract status, Sutton showed up to training camp in terrific shape.

    This year proved no exception.

    “Courtland has been having a really good camp,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said recently. “He looks to me even better than he did last camp.”

    Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks to Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) and QB Bo Nix (10) during training camp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit in Centennial on Thursday, July 31, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)

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  • Broncos make Nik Bonitto the highest-paid non-QB in franchise history with $120M extension

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    DENVER — The Denver Broncos have reportedly agreed to a contract extension with rising-star linebacker Nik Bonitto that makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the history of the franchise.

    According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, Bonitto will sign a four-year extension worth up to $120 million with $70 million in guarantees.

    For Denver, the agreement avoids contract drama with a key player on an elite defense hours before the NFL season kicks off Thursday night and three days before the Broncos play their first game.

    It’s the richest average annual salary in Broncos history for someone who doesn’t play quarterback – topping Patrick Surtain II’s $24 million per year (4 years, $96M) deal signed last year.

    Bonitto burst onto the scene in 2024, recording 13.5 sacks and logging two defensive touchdowns. The breakout campaign sent him soaring up the NFL’s Top 100 Players list, where he landed at No. 38 ahead of the 2025 season.

    While it’s a historic deal in Broncos history, the extension is relatively reasonable compared to the top of the edge rusher market in today’s NFL. Bonitto’s new average annual salary is cheaper than at least six other players at the position. Micah Parsons, the All-Pro edge rusher who was traded to the Green Bay Packers after his relationship with the Dallas Cowboys soured this offseason, just raked in a whopping $47 million per year to top the market and break the previous record for non-QB pay.

    T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter, Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa all make more than the $30 million per year Bonitto can earn on his new deal, according to the NFL contract database Over The Cap.

    Bonitto reacted to the deal on social media with a simple message: “Let’s go win this f*ckin [championship’ now!”

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  • Denver7 Sports’ Bradey King crowned ‘Chomped’ champion in Broncos’ first culinary competition

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    DENVER — It’s game week in the Mile High City, which means the Denver Broncos are back, and so are the tailgate taste buds.

    Ahead of Sunday’s kickoff, Denver7 Sports reporter Bradey King stopped by Empower Field at Mile High to check out some of the new food items fans can enjoy this season. Among the highlights: the debut of the Atwater Grill, a new stadium spot named after Broncos legend and Hall of Famer Steve Atwater. The grill features a lineup of burgers, which is Atwater’s personal favorite.

    Just steps away, a new mural honoring No. 27 adds a nice visual tribute to one of the franchise’s most beloved players.

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    But the main event of the morning wasn’t just sampling the food; it was making it.

    King competed in the first annual Broncos Chomped Competition, going head-to-head with three other Denver media members to craft the ultimate stadium hot dog in just five minutes. Spoiler alert: she won.

    Denver7 Sports' Bradey King crowned 'Chomped' champion in Broncos' first culinary competition

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    The Nix Six is a bratwurst on a classic bun, stacked high with six Super Bowl-worthy toppings. Creative? Check. Tasty? Absolutely. Presentation? Perfect.

    The judges included a panel of local chefs and Atwater himself, who crowned The Nix Six as the winner. The best part? Fans can try it for themselves starting Week 4, when the Broncos host the Cincinnati Bengals. It will also be available in the press box.

    Week 1 is off to a winning start here in Broncos Country.

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    Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Bradey King

    Denver7’s Bradey King reports on the entire sports landscape in Colorado, including Denver’s pro teams, but is always looking for stories off the field and in the non-professional ranks. If you’d like to get in touch with Bradey, fill out the form below to send her an email.

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  • Broncos CB Pat Surtain II checks in at No. 10 on NFL’s countdown of best players

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    If Pat Surtain II were choosing, he’d have been nine spots higher.

    As it stands, though the Broncos’ star corner and reigning defensive player of the year is in heady company.

    Surtain checked in at No. 10 on the NFL’s countdown of the best players in the league.

    “If I had to write a text book on cornerback play, it’d be Pat Surtain,” Baltimore cornerback and fellow 2024 Associated Press first-team All-Pro Marlon Humphrey said of Surtain in a video published by the NFL. “… There’s very few people that move that smoothly at his height, his size. It’s like poetry in motion. It’s honestly beautiful to see when he’s in press man, which is what he’s best at. It’s really impressive.”

    Surtain was ranked No. 52 last year by fellow NFL players and vaulted up the list after putting together as dominant a season as a corner can author. Surtain regularly shut down opposing teams’ top receiving options and likely cemented his grip on the DPOY award when he went toe-to-toe with Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase and held him in check while guarding him in a late-December matchup.

    “Having a guy that you can go out there and put on any receiver and you don’t hear about them the rest of the game, that does wonders for a D-line,” teammate Nik Bonitto, who himself was ranked No. 38 on the countdown, said in the video.

    Surtain’s part of a deep and talented Broncos secondary that added first-round pick Jahdae Barron and safety Talanoa Hufanga this offseason.

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