The Good, Bad, & Ugly from Broncos' 20-12 Win Over Titans

The Denver Broncos had plenty of good vs. the Tennessee Titans, but way too much bad and ugly.

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos safety Brandon Jones (22) reacts with cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) and cornerback Riley Moss (21) after a fumble recovery in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos won their home-opener against the Tennessee Titans 20-12 in an ugly offensive outing for both teams. The Broncos’ offense never truly found its footing, but the defense put the entire team on its back and thrust them across the finish line, courtesy of a fourth-quarter Ja’Quan McMillian strip-sack and Jahdae Barron recovery.

There are several takeaways from this brain-numbingly inconsistent contest, but as we recount the good, bad, and the ugly, let's start with some sweet defensive sugar before swallowing the bitter offensive medicine. 

The Good: Suffocating Defense

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) reacts against the Tennessee Titans in the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The expectation for the Broncos’ defense this year is to be the best unit in the NFL, and it started off red-hot. The Broncos did not relinquish a touchdown and only allowed 133 total yards to the Titans.

The Broncos sacked rookie quarterback Cam Ward six times, all from different players (Justin Strnad, Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss, Jonathon Cooper, McMillian, and Zach Allen), picking up where they left off from last year (a league-high 63 sacks in 2024).

.@Island2_1 coming in hot 🔥

📺: FOXpic.twitter.com/C23F385seq

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 7, 2025

From a yardage perspective, the Titans’ top receiver was running back Tony Pollard, who had one catch for 29 yards in the first series of the game, with Ward only throwing for 112 passing yards, showing just how formidable the Broncos’ secondary is.

Cornerback Patrick Surtain II didn’t allow a single catch as he continues his historic run as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Denver's defense is up to the task of keeping this team in every game, and it’ll be interesting to see how it holds up against the better offenses in the NFL.

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The Bad: Tyler Badie

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Tennessee Titans cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (29) tackles Denver Broncos running back Tyler Badie (28) in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Badie got to take on the role of Denver’s third running back, with Jaleel McLaughlin inactive as a healthy scratch. That turned out to be a massive mistake, as Badie looked completely lost in his opportunities with zero attempts in the run game and only two catches for 16 yards.

Badie dropped two other catches that would’ve moved the chains. He looked phenomenal throughout the preseason, but his first regular-season action left much to be desired.

The Ugly: Bo Nix

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Nix was the definition of unsettled against the Titans’ defense. While his offensive line didn’t always keep the pocket clean, what Nix could control lacked any consistency.

Nix wasn’t setting his feet and made several errant throws that should’ve been easy completions. He tried to make every throw a Globe-Trotter-like effort when he didn't have to, and it put a major strain on his receivers.

There were several times when Nix did manage to hit his intended target, but often forced his receiver to fully extend and make a Herculean effort to haul it in. His performance almost mirrors his first start in Seattle last year, where he was too jittery and never settled down, reset, or delivered consistently.

The Broncos’ chances of making it back to the playoffs hinge on Nix’s play and whether he's able to calm his mind and run the offense as intended. Luckily for him, there are 16 more games to get it right.

The Broncos won in the ugliest of fashions and will have to reevaluate themselves offensively, but if this defense holds up like it did against the Titans, the offense will have plenty of time to catch up. The season is young, and we won’t know exactly who this Broncos team is for some time yet, so stay optimistic until they give fans a reason to crash out.