ATTACK — F

Yikes. Bo Nix’s debut got off to a rocky start and didn’t get much better as the afternoon wore on. He threw for just 67 yards in the first half, had one interception and four more that could have been easy. Nix didn’t impress with a number of big plays in training camp and the preseason, but he did defend the ball well. Seattle’s defense kept him off balance from the start.

Every time Denver’s running game got going, head coach Sean Payton seemed to get away from it. But fumbles by Audric Estime (recovered by Denver) and Jaleel McLaughlin (lost in the third quarter) certainly didn’t help attempts to control the flow of the game.

Conclusion: This was a failure from start to finish.

DEFENSE — B-

The Broncos’ defense had a small lapse in the first half, but otherwise played excellently. They put pressure on Geno Smith. They intercepted a ball from Alex Singleton. They forced two safeties in the first half. The new defensive line paid off immediately, and the duo of Jonathon Cooper and Baron Browning looked powerful from the outside.

As has often been the case in recent franchise history, this group had little margin for error against Seattle. When the group became porous in the second half – Kenneth Walker ran for 81 yards in the third quarter alone and the Broncos had a coverage bust on the first play of the fourth quarter – the game was unwinnable.

SPECIAL TEAMS — A-

That’s where the Broncos shined on Sunday. The rule change on kickoff didn’t cause much excitement, but Denver’s punt team made some great plays. The biggest: a botched punt that was recovered at the 9-yard line, giving the offense first-and-goal. Equally significant: Tremon Smith made a great play at the end of a Riley Dixon punt, deflecting the ball at the 1-yard line and setting up the second of two Broncos safeties in the first half.

COACHING — F

The defense was strong. The special teams were on the ball. But the offensive game plan didn’t produce any results from the start.