Broncos 27, Falcons 7: The Good, Bad, And the Ugly

The Denver Broncos' first preseason game is in the books. It ended in a resounding 27-7 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

Denver’s first- and second-team units dominated the Falcons, scoring touchdowns and forcing turnovers, completely taking over the game from the first snap. Now, it wasn’t a perfect game for the Broncos, and they have some areas to work on, but there was plenty of good to start the game, so much so that it’s hard to pick just one player.

As we sift through the aftermath of the Broncos' big win over the Falcons, let’s take a look at the good, bad, and ugly from their first action of 2026.

The Good: Several Broncos Ball Out

Several Broncos on both sides of the ball made plays that defined the game, so I couldn’t go with just one or two. Courtland Sutton balled out with limited snaps (three catches for 60 yards), making a great one-handed snag with a defender draped all over him, and another 40-yard grab to set up the Broncos for an opening-drive touchdown by fullback Adam Prentice.

Rookie running back Jonah Coleman showed off his vision and ability to shed tacklers (four carries for 24 yards), while fellow back Jaleel McLaughlin had a great 12-yard run and a receiving touchdown.

Defensively, the Broncos gave us a glimpse of their turnover potential with two interceptions, one by Riley Moss, who picked off Tua Tagovailoa, and a 95-yard pick-six by Jahdae Barron. A little bit later, Barron nearly snagged another pick.

.@Officia1dae to the 🏡!

📺: 9NEWS pic.twitter.com/2r6HDk2HDZ
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 15, 2026

Keep an eye on linebackers Karene Reid and Red Murdock, who both flashed in the middle of the defense. Reid tipped the pass that Barron picked off and returned to the house, while Murdock, a seventh-round rookie, led the team with eight tackles (four solo).

The Bad: Second-Half Special Teams

Wil Lutz and Jeremy Crawshaw. — Denver Broncos place kicker Wil Lutz (3) kicks a field goal against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Broncos’ special teams unit was shaky to start 2025, and 2026 is following a similar script. Undrafted rookie long snapper Luke Basso snapped the ball entirely too low, and it was scooped up by punter Jeremy Crawshaw, who was touched down, resulting in a turnover on downs.

On a later field-goal attempt, the Broncos' special teams unit was out of sync, resulting in them lining up late, the play clock hitting two, and Wil Lutz missing a 56-yarder as a result of the chaos. No matter how good the Broncos are on offense and defense, their special teams could be their undoing if these procedural problems persist.

The Ugly: Sam Ehlinger

Ehlinger played the entire second half and had himself a game to forget as the Broncos' offense fell apart with him at the helm. Outside of a McLaughlin fumble, Ehlinger was the biggest reason that Denver couldn’t muster any meaningful offense in the second half, only throwing for 68 yards on 10 passes.

Some questionable throws and a tendency to pull the ball down and run were Ehlinger's downfall this week. With second-team quarterback Jarrett Stidham playing solid, it’s hard to see Ehlinger jumping him on the depth chart as of now.

The Takeaway

The Broncos' starting units made some amazing plays that should get fans excited heading into the regular season. The offense was effective and flowed like a river through the Rockies, and the defense was as suffocating as last season.

Beyond the first- and second-team players, there is much to improve. With two preseason games left, there’s more than enough time to tweak and tinker with their blemishes and build the foundation of a Super Bowl berth.

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