Broncos first-team offense left preseason with a mixed bag

NEW ORLEANS — As it turned out, Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos offense needed more than the originally predicted “eight to 10 plays” in Saturday’s preseason finale.

Their workday lasted 19 snaps before it was done — three possessions, two scores and, ultimately, one of those performances that ended in a subjective evaluation that would depend on whether you consider a glass to be half-empty or half-full.

The first unit’s possessions lengthened as the first half progressed, from a quick three-and-out to open the game to a 39-yard, 10-play series that concluded in a 32-yard Wil Lutz field goal and finally to a six-play, 72-yard drive capped by Nix’s 28-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton.

The Nix-to-Sutton connection salvaged the day. Their 14-yard connection on fourth-and-5 kept alive the possession that ended in Lutz’s field goal, and the Broncos’ play of the day was when Nix rolled left out of a play-fake and found Sutton for 43 yards on the final play of the first quarter.

Three snaps later, Nix hit Sutton for a touchdown, and with that, the preseason concluded for Nix, Sutton and the ones.

The 🔟 to 1️⃣4️⃣ connection 🤩

📺: My20 pic.twitter.com/vC2x3COzCf

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 23, 2025

BRONCOS FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE IN AUGUST

The No. 1 offense’s final game-time ledger for the month broke down thusly:

• Possessions: 6
• Points: 13
• Scoring drives: 3 (Two field goals, one touchdown)
• Three-and-outs: 2
• Net yards/possession: 28.3
• Points/possession: 2.17
• First downs/possession: 1.5
• Average/rush: 2.3 yards
• Average/pass play: 5.6 yards
• Average/play: 4.4 yards
• Nix’s passer rating: 92.3

FIRST TEAM GOT LITTLE GOING ON THE GROUND AGAINST SAINTS

Veteran J.K. Dobbins didn’t see any action, but rookie RJ Harvey did, and he failed to get any traction, picking up just 4 yards on three carries as he failed to find much room, bouncing outside to no avail at one point.

Including the work against San Francisco a fornight earlier, Harvey had 31 yards on 10 carries with the No. 1 offense this preseason. Dobbins caught a pass for 4 yards in the preseason opener; that was his only game-time touch of the month.

Including a pair of carries for no gain by Tyler Badie and Marvin Mims Jr. while the first unit was on the field Saturday, the No. 1 offense finished with 4 rushing yards in New Orleans.

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