Jarrett Stidham didn’t just show up Friday night against Atlanta - he made a point.
With the Broncos’ backup quarterback job hanging in the balance, Stidham answered the challenge in Denver’s 27-7 win over the Falcons by putting together a sharp first-half showing. He finished 9-for-15 for 131 yards and a touchdown, and he clearly separated himself from third quarterback Sam Ehlinger in the process.
That kind of outing mattered for Stidham, especially after a rough performance against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game in January. But his response against Atlanta was enough to earn him praise from coach Sean Payton, who talked about the quarterback in a piece written by Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post.
“It wasn’t just a disappointment for him,” Payton said. “I was disappointed in myself.
You lose a game like that, you go back and look at it closely. Margins in that game, yeah.
One of his strengths is his resiliency and I think he’s got a little bit of that ‘it’ factor. He’s really good with the operation.
Quick. … I thought he handled it well.”
Stidham hasn’t done much talking this camp, and most of the attention has centered on the health of starter Bo Nix. On Friday, though, he let the work do the talking.
“I feel like one of the things I try to hang my hat on is just putting my nose down and just working,” Stidham said. “Obviously, it didn’t go our way in the championship game, but it’s football.
There has to be a winner and there has to be a loser. If you get knocked down, you’ve got to get right back to work and that’s what it was the entire offseason.”
The Broncos still have two preseason games left, and Payton gave a tentative prediction that Nix will play in both. That would push Stidham back into his usual backup role, but the job battle isn’t over yet. He still has to stay ahead of Ehlinger.
There’s also the new offensive setup to keep building with Davis Webb, Denver’s new offensive coordinator. Payton said Webb got the plays in on time and kept things running “smoothly,” and Stidham said the communication was good on Friday. The Broncos will be looking for that same kind of rhythm when Nix is presumably back on the field against the Green Bay Packers this Friday.
In Other News...
Broncos Preseason Opener May Have Settled Three Real Roster Fights
The Broncos preseason opener against Atlanta did more than shake off the rust. It gave the coaching staff an early look at a few roster battles that were already tight enough to make every snap matter, and some of those decisions are starting to come into focus. Denver went into the night with questions at quarterback depth, fullback, and tight end, and the way certain players performed offered a clearer read on where the team may be headed as camp continues.
Jarrett Stidhams outing strengthened his position in the backup quarterback race, while Prentice helped make a stronger case to stay on the roster after standing out in a role that often gets squeezed by numbers. At tight end, the picture is less encouraging for Krull, who appears to be fighting uphill in a crowded room with limited spots available. Final calls will still depend on health and the rest of preseason, but the opener looked like the kind of game that can quietly settle more than one debate. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Defense Already Looks Like This Teams Biggest Strength
The Broncos first preseason outing offered an early glimpse at why this roster might lean on its defense again. Denver came out with energy against Atlanta, forced turnovers and got a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown from Jahdae Barron, while the defensive starters did their part in a brief but sharp 15-play cameo that helped keep the Falcons quiet early.
Zach Allen said the groups attitude has been good, and Sean Payton pointed to the way pressure and connection have shown up across the roster. It is only August, but the defense already looks organized, aggressive and connected in a way that gives Denver a real foundation to build on while the offense continues to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]