The Broncos wasted no time making a statement in their first preseason game, rolling past the Falcons 27-7 and controlling the action from the opening snap.
Denver’s top two units set the tone on both sides of the ball. The offense scored touchdowns, the defense forced turnovers, and the Broncos looked every bit like the team in charge for most of the night. It was not flawless, but there was plenty to like from the first look at the 2026 group.
Courtland Sutton was the headliner among the pass catchers, even in limited work. He finished with three catches for 60 yards, including a one-handed grab with a defender all over him and a 40-yard catch that helped set up Adam Prentice’s opening-drive touchdown.
Rookie running back Jonah Coleman also made his presence felt, showing vision and an ability to break tackles while gaining 24 yards on four carries. Jaleel McLaughlin added a strong 12-yard run and also caught a touchdown.
The defense made its own loud entrance. Denver came away with two interceptions, including Riley Moss picking off Tua Tagovailoa and Jahdae Barron turning another takeaway into a 95-yard pick-six.
Barron nearly came up with another interception shortly after that. Karene Reid also had a hand in the play, tipping the ball that Barron returned for a score.
Red Murdock, a seventh-round rookie, was another defender who stood out in the middle of the field. He led the Broncos with eight tackles, including four solo stops, while Reid continued to flash as well.
Special teams, though, were a mess. Undrafted rookie long snapper Luke Basso sent one snap too low, and punter Jeremy Crawshaw had to scoop it up before being touched down for a turnover on downs. Later, a field-goal attempt fell apart because the Broncos got lined up late, the play clock wound down to two, and Wil Lutz missed from 56 yards.
That kind of sloppiness is exactly what can undercut a team that otherwise looks sharp in the other phases. The Broncos were good enough on offense and defense to bury Atlanta, but the special teams issues were impossible to ignore.
The second half belonged to Sam Ehlinger, and it was rough from start to finish. With Ehlinger running the offense, Denver’s attack stalled badly. Outside of a Jaleel McLaughlin fumble, he was the biggest reason the Broncos couldn’t generate much of anything after halftime, finishing with 68 passing yards on 10 throws.
Ehlinger’s night unraveled because of some shaky decisions and a tendency to tuck the ball and run. Jarrett Stidham, meanwhile, was solid with the second unit, which makes it difficult to see Ehlinger climbing the depth chart at this point.
For Denver’s starting groups, the early signs were encouraging. The offense moved cleanly, and the defense looked every bit as suffocating as it did last season. There’s still work to do with the backups and on special teams, but with two preseason games left, the Broncos have time to clean things up and keep building.
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