Broncos Secure Fourth Win Against Saints

On the eve of the Denver Broncos’ journey to New Orleans, head coach Sean Payton stressed a single goal to his team: “We’re in the business of collecting wins.” The Broncos adhered to this mantra on Thursday, securing their fourth victory of the season with a score of 33-10. The winning strategy relied on a proven formula: a strong defense, a rookie quarterback, Bo Nix, who played without any turnovers, and enough successful field goal drives. Despite the New Orleans Saints having 17 players on the injury report that week, the Broncos emerged victorious, also boasting over 200 yards in rushing. This victory marks their best record after seven games since their 5-2 standing in 2016. The Broncos will next host Carolina at their home ground on October 27th.

Bo Nix: Leading Broncos to Victory

Bo Nix, the rookie quarterback, steered the Broncos to triumph over the Saints in New Orleans. Despite the Broncos’ generally slow starts this season, Nix’s agility has proven to be a key asset. In his game against the Saints, he recorded a second consecutive game with at least 61 yards rushing. He completed 13-of-21 passes for 134 yards in the first half with no sacks or turnovers. However, Nix’s inconsistent footwork led to missed opportunities for significant plays early in the game.

Shining Through Adversity: Broncos’ Defense

An unexpected setback occurred when cornerback Pat Surtain II suffered a concussion on the first defensive snap of the game. Despite this, they were able to maintain a strong defense and secure a win.

Denver Showcases Defensive Prowess Despite Absence of Surtain

Last week, Denver demonstrated that their defense remains impactful. Missing Surtain was a significant absence in any game, but the Broncos compensated by limiting the Chargers to only 105 yards in the second half after finding their stride. In their Thursday face-off against the Saints, they kept the opposition under 180 yards until the final quarter. This included a defensive touchdown courtesy of linebacker Cody Barton. Additionally, they consistently applied pressure on Saints’ QB Spencer Rattler throughout the game. (Next game: against Panthers, 4:25 p.m. ET, Oct. 27)

Struggles Continue for Rattler and the Saints Offense Against the Broncos

The Saints, with a 2-5 record, are not expecting any immediate improvements. The 2009 Super Bowl team members were in attendance to witness former quarterback Drew Brees’ induction into the Saints Hall of Fame during halftime. A large contingent of injured players, including quarterback Derek Carr, tight end Taysom Hill, and offensive linemen Erik McCoy and Cesar Ruiz, observed from the sidelines. Three additional players – Marshon Lattimore, Paulson Adebo, and Nick Saldiveri – were declared unfit for the game due to injuries.

Health Concerns Only Part of Saints’ Woes

However, the health status of the Saints is merely one of their issues. There’s no immediate solution for a team that suffered blowout losses two weeks in a row, managing only 10 points against the Broncos and their former coach Sean Payton. The Saints, now on a five-game losing streak, have been outscored 60-10 in the previous six quarters. Their next match is against the Los Angeles Chargers following their mini-bye.

A Troubling Pattern: The Defensive Effort

The Saints’ defense, previously a crucial element of the team, has been deteriorating weekly. They entered this game as the worst in overall defense. Former All-Pro defensive back Richard Sherman didn’t gloss over the truth during halftime on Prime Video: “They don’t want to tackle. They don’t want to make plays. These are good players… I don’t understand this. It seems like they want to get their coach fired,” commented Sherman.

A Two-Word Summary of the Game: Rock Bottom

The offense was unable to score, the defense was almost as bad as the previous week, and by the fourth quarter, the Superdome was nearly deserted due to another uninspiring performance.

QB Breakdown: Another Difficult Game for Rattler

Rattler, missing the Saints’ top two receivers and several offensive linemen, including Hill, had another challenging game. He made some significant rookie mistakes, including a sack/fumble returned for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, a sack/fumble in the first quarter, and another fumble saved by a defensive penalty. Although he made some plays with his legs, he ended up 25-of-35 for 172 yards and no touchdowns. Jake Haener finished the game. (Next game: vs. Chargers, 4:05 p.m. ET, Oct. 27)