Head Coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)Photo: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images
Broncos offense opened with the ball from their own 35 yard line but was a pretty brutal opening as Bo Nix and the offense gained only 3 yards before a delay of game penalty on 3rd down that effectively ended the drive.
Denver punted it to New Orleans who would start their next drive at their 49 yard line...pretty rough from the rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw. New Orleans only gained 13 yards on 6 plays but it was enough to attempt a 56 yard field goal and the Saints took an early 3-0 lead with 11:58 remaining in the 1st quarter
Bo Nix and the offense got another crack at it and did a little better with an 11 play, 39 yard drive that stalled out at the Saints 14 yard line. Wil Lutz chipped in a 32 yard field goal to tie the game at 3 with 6:18 remaining in the 1st quarter. Nice Kick off return by Tyler Badie of 46 yards to set up the drive.
Spencer Rattler and the Saints offense went back to work from their 38 yard line. A defensive holding penalty helped keep the drive going but a Jonathon Cooper sack effectively stalled the drive. Blake Grupe would be back on to knock in a 49 yard field goal to give the Saints back the lead 6-3 with 2:39 remaining in the 1st quarter.
Bo Nix stayed in for his 3rd drive and it proved valuable. After an initial holding penalty on Adam Trautman backed them up, Demario Davis was called for personal foul penalty on RJ Harvey and the Broncos offense finally found some footing. Bo Nix hit Courtland Sutton for a 43 yard gain and a couple plays later the two hooked up for a 19 yard touchdown to give the Broncos their first lead 10-6 with 13:34 remaining in the half.
The Saints looked to respond but when facing a 4th and 1 at their own 36 yard line, they weren't able to convert and the Broncos took over. Sam Ehlinger in a QB now and had a nice scramble for 19 yards on 4th and 1 to get the Broncos into a goal to go situation but they couldn't punch it in. Another chip shot field goal for Wil Lutz, this time from 29 yards out, extended the lead 13-6 with 6:35 remaining in the 2nd quarter.
Tyler Shough in at QB and quickly went to work getting a couple of early 1st downs. Shough connected with Tipton to get the ball to the Broncos 33 yard line but the drive would stall there. Blake Grupe back on to knock in a 49 yard field goal. Broncos lead now 13-9 with 1:56 remaining in the 1st half.
Sam Ehlinger went to work during the 2 minute drill and quickly made it out midfield with a couple of nice completions to Jerjuan Newton. Lucas Krull came up huge on 3rd and long to keep the drive going and then had a 27 yard reception to get the Broncos down to the 4 yard line but a delay of game cost Denver and they would eventually connect on a 25 yard field goal to extend the lead 16-9 at halftime.
The Saints offense started with the ball in the 3rd quarter and after hitting Treyton Welch for a wide open 21 yard gain down the left sideline, Tyler Shough's next drive stalled out at midfield and they punted it to Denver who would start their next drive at their own 14 yard line.
Broncos offense went heavy on the run game to begin the next drive with Audric Estime and Tyler Badie with 7 straight runs to get into New Orleans territory. The Broncos worked it all the way down to the Saints 26 yard line before a pass intended for Badie in the flat was intercepted by Quincy Riley. New Orleans would start their next at their 19 yard line after an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty on the Saints.
New Orleans didn't have the ball long as Que Robinson burst around the edge and stripped the ball out of Tyler Shough's hands, giving it back to the Broncos offense at the Saints 19 yard line with 5:11 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
Pat Bryant caught a 14 yard pass to convert a 3rd and 10 and on the next play Audric Estime punched it in from 5 yards out to extend the lead 22-9 with 3 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter.
Tyler Shough found some rhythm in the passing game in the waning moments of the 3rd quarter, moving the ball inside Denver territory to the 35 yard line to begin the 4th quarter. New Orleans worked the ball methodically down the field and from 11 yards out, Tyler Shough went around the left side for the Saints first touchdown of the day. Broncos lead now 22-16 with 13:19 remaining in the game
Denver's response moved into New Orleans territory on a Caleb Lohner 23 yard reception on 3rd down but a few plays later on 4th and 5, the Broncos went for it and Ehlinger was sacked. Turnover on downs with 9:36 remaining in the game.
Saints put together a 7 play, 16 yard drive and settled for a 52 yard field goal from their punter Charlie Smyth. Broncos lead now 22-19 with 7:09 remaining.
Sam Ehlinger put together a clutch drive with big completions to Courtney Jackson and Kyrese Rowan and on 4th down from the 5 yard line, Ehlinger SOMEHOW found Rowan in the front of the end zone after scrambling around for a touchdown, extending the lead 28-19 with 2:14 remaining in the game.
The Broncos would finish the game with a 28-19 win to sweep the preseason for the 2nd year in a row!
The next broadcast will be on Sunday, September 7th as the Denver Broncos will host the Tennessee Titans for the 1st game of the regular season. Coverage begins on KOA at 8am.
Below are the postgame interviews with Bo Nix and Lucas Krull