POSTGAME GRADES: GAME ANALYSIS & RATINGS

Dondrea Tillman showed his Broncos teammates something from the start

Sep 24, 2024, 11:18 PM

TAMPA, Fla. — Dondrea Tillman didn’t waste any time getting noticed. And we’re not talking about his 2-sack NFL debut against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, either. From the first practice he had with the Broncos, he demonstrated attributes that seized the attention of teammates.

“My initial thoughts was, he’s got really good hands,” edge rusher Jonathon Cooper said. “He’s got really good hands and he can rush a passer and that he knows football. And you could just tell, like, with that experience, you can’t beat that.”

And that experience mattered. Tillman joined the Broncos after a full spring season with the Birmingham Stallions of the United Football League, his third campaign with that team. A product of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Tillman took a circuitous route through two seasons in the USFL and last spring’s UFL stint.

It gave Tillman a chance to blossom.

“The more reps you get, the better you’re gonna be able to play,” Tillman said. “It doesn’t matter where you play, as long as you’re getting live reps, they eventually add up. So, I think playing in that league definitely helped me out and helped me develop to get here and be ready for my shot when my time is coming.”

Sunday, it arrived, and the experience bore fruit.

“Other guys come in, they ain’t played a lot of football or played enough football at that high level,” Cooper said. “He’s played football at a high level, so he knew how it was going to be out here. And I couldn’t be happier for
him, couldn’t be more proud of him.

“We knew what type of player he was. That’s why he’s active today. And, you know, he’s only going to get better.”

And he was a massive part of a stellar Week 3 performance.

PASSING DEFENSE: A

It’s not just about the strength on the back end, but the punch delivered up front. Dondrea Tillman feasted, but it was another strong day for Zach Allen, who went into Monday night leading all NFL interior defensive linemen with at least 35 pass-rush opportunities — a sample size of 83 players — in pressure rate, as compiled through the data collected by Pro Football Focus.

RUSHING DEFENSE: C-PLUS

There is some reason for continued concern here. Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving sliced through Denver’s defense, and Bucs running backs averaged 5.7 yards per carry while forcing several missed tackles. Denver ranks 21st in the league against the run, and the struggles there make it essential that the Broncos play games with a lead as they did Sunday.

PASSING OFFENSE: B-PLUS

Crisp execution defined the day for Bo Nix and his pass-catching targets, and while they didn’t recapture the explosion of the first series, they took sensible bites out of the Tampa Bay defense throughout the afternoon. Nix’s decision-making was his best yet as a pro, and for the first time this season, the Broncos didn’t drop a pass.

RUSHING OFFENSE: C-PLUS

The second-half surge from Tyler Badie changed everything for the Broncos on the ground. In the first three quarters, Broncos running backs — including Badie — averaged 2.2 yards per carry. Badie’s 43-yard gallop in the fourth quarter had a massive impact on the production level. The question now is this: Will Sean Payton give Badie more looks? Javonte Williams touched the ball just twice in the second half after his second-quarter fumble and remains mired in a deep slump.

SPECIAL TEAMS: A

Riley Dixon didn’t have much to do Sunday, but he made his chances count, dropping a punt inside the 20-yard line and finishing with a 48-yard net average on a pair of punts. Marvin Mims Jr. had his longest punt return of the season with a 27-yard runback, moving him into the NFL’s top 10 among punters with at least 2 returns so far this season. And Wil Lutz was both busy and flawless.

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Dondrea Tillman showed his Broncos teammates something from the start