OFFENSE — B
Bo Nix might have struggled in the Broncos’ first two games, but he came out blazing in Week 3. He completed his first four passes for 70 yards and added five plus a touchdown on the ground on Denver’s first drive. The sledding got tougher from there, but Nix played by far his best game so far in the NFL. Javonte Williams fumbled at an inopportune time and Denver’s run game is still problematic. If you’re looking to pick nits, Denver scored twice in its first three red zone trips and then struggled to land the put-away punch as the game went along. Nix has now played three games in the NFL and still doesn’t have a touchdown pass. But after one offensive touchdown in two games to start the season, this was a big, big improvement.
DEFENSE — A
For as much as the talk after this game will be about Nix’s big outing and the offense’s progress, make no mistake about it: Vance Joseph’s defense was humming against the Bucs. They rattled Baker Mayfield with pressure. They did a good job against the run. Pat Surtain II bounced back from a subpar outing against Pittsburgh with one of the best of his career. He traveled with Mike Evans for most of the game and allowed just one catch for 8 yards over the first three-plus quarters. Take away one bad third quarter against Seattle, and this has been a terrific defense so far this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS — B
Another solid outing overall for the Broncos special teams group, too. Marvin Mims Jr. made his first big play of the year in the return game with a 27-yard punt return early on. Riley Dixon and the Denver punt team continued to be rock solid. And Wil Lutz knocked home four field goals to continue his perfect start to the season. Lutz is now 8 of 8 on the 2024 season and has missed just two field goal attempts dating to Week 6 last year against Kansas City.
COACHING — A
The Broncos won the coin toss and Sean Payton decided he wanted the ball first. Then his team went out and punched the Bucs in the mouth. Maybe it’s just reflexive NFC South domination for Payton after all those years in New Orleans. Either way, the Broncos had a good plan. They got Nix into rhythm early and kept him there for the most part. Payton called the game early like an underdog — including a pair of fourth-down conversions in the first half — then went to work on the clock in the second half. Payton lost a challenge on a goal-line run from Javonte Williams, but it was a defensible one because it looked like the Broncos’ back got across the line.
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