Broncos at 49ers: 3 takeaways from Denver’s 30-9 preseason victory
The Broncos defeated the 49ers, 30-9, on Saturday night at Levi’s Stadium in their first NFL preseason game.
Here are three takeaways from the road victory.
Starters vs. backups
The Broncos started their No. 1 offense and defense. The 49ers played their backups. But you couldn’t tell after two possessions. Denver allowed a touchdown on the opening series. Quarterback Bo Nix responded with a seven-play drive ending with a punt. It wasn’t the start that Broncos Country expected after plenty of hype in training camp. Especially when Nix, on his second possession, got hit with a safety for an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone. The good news is that preseason stats don’t matter. The bad news is that Denver’s starters were outplayed by lesser competition.
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Stiddy special
Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham sparked the comeback victory. He threw for 136 yards on 14-of-15 passing with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Stidham also rushed for 36 yards on three carries. He replaced Nix late in the second quarter and the whole second and third quarter. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger has pushed Stidham in training camp with impressive touch on deep passes. But Stidham proved on Saturday that he’s the clear second-string quarterback while under contract through 2026. He brings confidence and experience to the position if Nix is unable to play.
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Forced turnovers
The Broncos defense overcame a slow start to cause havoc against the 49ers. Nickel back Ja’Quan McMillian, inside linebacker Karene Reid and cornerback Joshua Pickett each had a pick. Safety JL Skinner forced a fumble that was recovered by rookie outside linebacker Sai’vion Jones. Last year, the Broncos had eight games with multiple forced turnovers. They went 7-1 in those matchups. Their focus on taking the ball away on Saturday was among the most encouraging signs from a defense with huge expectations entering 2025. A nice building block to start the preseason.
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