The Denver Broncos will start 0-1 for the second straight season under Sean Payton after losing 26-20 to the Seattle Seahawks. It was a tough game for the Broncos on offense, while the defense had two halves.

This game featured multiple turnovers, two safeties, a sloppy game overall, and another loss for the Denver Broncos. It was a tough road game, with rookie Bo Nix struggling for the first time this season. It wasn’t pretty at times, but the Broncos came close in the end, but couldn’t stop the Seahawks from getting a first down and ending the game.

It’s another disappointing start to the season, but there were some positives to come out of this game. With that in mind, here are the Broncos’ winners and losers from their 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

QB Bo Nix – Loser

Bo Nix’s first career start did not go as many expected. The rookie struggled throughout the game and struggled against Mike Macdonald’s defense on the away field in a tough Seattle environment. Nix finished the game 26-42 for 138 yards and 2 interceptions. He also had 5 carries for 35 yards and 1 rushing touchdown.

There were a lot of dinks and dunks, some dropped passes and very few yards after the catch.

Nix is ​​coming off a strong training camp and preseason and has raised high hopes throughout Broncos Country for his performance during the season. Well, life moves fast and that was the case for Nix and the Broncos. We saw him struggle like never before in the summer, losing the ball and the offense generally lacking the potential to make big plays.

This is just one start, on the road, in one of the toughest environments in the NFL. It’s not time to panic about Nix, but there is a small cause for concern. Hopefully the rookie can learn from this and put in a better performance next Sunday at home against the Steelers.

Winner – Zach Allen and the Broncos defensive line

The Broncos had control of the game in the first half, thanks in large part to their defensive line and, in particular, defensive back Zach Allen. He was a monster the entire game and the Seahawks blockers couldn’t keep him out of the backfield. He provided the Broncos’ second safety by breaking the line and bringing down the running back in the end zone.

Seattle had no answer for this unit in the first half and single-handedly kept the Broncos in the game while their offense struggled mightily in the first half. That’s a great sign and hopefully we see more of that from this unit in the future.

Loser – Broncos run game

The Broncos’ best runner was quarterback Bo Nix. Jaleel McLaughlin had 10 carries for 27 yards, while Javonte Williams had 8 carries for 23 yards. Both averaged less than 3.0 yards per carry, and the Broncos’ running game was largely ineffective throughout the game.

We saw these issues last year, but we were hopeful we would see improvement this year. However, after one game of the year, the Broncos’ running attack still seems to be a weakness. You can’t have a bad running game and have Bo Nix throw the ball 42 times in his first career start.

Loser – Broncos game call

I haven’t seen the video or reports of the cut-ups, but the Broncos’ offensive play seemed very conservative. Lots of short passes, blocks, and no running. Maybe the receivers had a clear path further down the field, but it seemed like there was little spacing and the Seahawks were concentrating on the short passes.

It’s hard to say without watching the tape, but that’s how it seemed to me when I watched the game.

Winners – Special Teams

The Broncos’ special operations unit was the unsung hero of this game. Punter Riley Dixon kept the Seahawks deep in their own territory, constantly changing field position and helping set up the Broncos’ second safety of the game.

If the Broncos want to be successful this season, they need to be strong on all three sides. This was a good performance by the Broncos’ special operations unit.

Loser – Run defense in the second half

I wanted to praise the Broncos’ run defense after the first half, but it all went downhill in the second half. The Seahawks established the run and running back Kenneth Walker broke through the Broncos’ defense multiple times, reaching the end zone twice.

There were signs of improvement early on but they really struggled in the second half. They need to tighten up front, attack better and get better angles against the run.

Other winners and losers

• Winner – Kicker Wil Lutz: He was perfect today and scored points for the Broncos offense.
• Loser – Broncos Offensive Line: Their pass blocking was average at best and QB Bo Nix had to regularly escape the pocket and throw under pressure. The running routes were nonexistent all game and if they want to be a run-first team, they need to play better.
• Loser – Broncos Wide Receiver: They struggled to pull away and had issues with drops throughout the game.
• Winner: Jonathon Cooper: He was one of the Broncos’ best players in the first half and finished the game with two sacks.
• Winner: Devaughn Vele: He led the team with 8 catches and appears to play an important role in the offense.
• Loser: Marvin Mims Jr.: He seems to be just a return specialist at the moment and hasn’t played a big role in the offense.