Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Broncos QB Bo Nix throws a TD pass to TE Adam Trautman!
Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end Adam Trautman in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Here’s video of the play, courtesy of the team’s official Twitter/X page:
Gone fishing 🎣
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/jfi3vnQxBZ
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 15, 2024
At the time of publication, the Broncos trail the Colts 10-7.
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Top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 9 at M&T Bank Stadium
Denver entered the game 5-3 with the NFL’s third-ranked defense, but the Baltimore offense shredded them, as Vance Joseph’s defense surrendered 396 yards and five touchdowns on the afternoon.
The Ravens are 6-3 after a 41-10 win over the emerging Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium.
Here are the top photos from the win.
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Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson finished with a perfect passer rating in Week 10 as the Ravens defeated the Broncos 41-10
The Ravens spent all week talking about removing the taste of an ugly loss to the Browns in Week 8. John Harbaugh’s team responded solidly, dominating the upstart Broncos 41-10 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Denver entered the game 5-3 with the NFL’s third-ranked defense, but the Baltimore offense shredded them, as Vance Joseph’s defense surrendered 396 yards and five touchdowns on the afternoon.
With talk about Josh Allen potentially winning MVP, Jackson completed 16 of 19 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday, marking his fourth perfect passer rating.
Derrick Henry finished with 101 yards rushing and two touchdowns, moving past Barry Sanders for 10th on the all-time touchdowns list and going over 1,000 yards for the sixth time in his career.
Zay Flowers had another 100-yard game, finishing with 127 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
On defense, Zach Orr’s unit surrendered 319 yards, including 197 passing and, most importantly, just ten points.
Baltimore will now prepare for Cincinnati on a short week and Amazon’s Thursday Night Football.
The Broncos improved to 5-3 following Sunday’s win over the Panthers and Bo Nix now has the most wins by a rookie QB in franchise history.
The Denver Broncos improved to 5-3 on Sunday with a convincing 28-14 win over the Carolina Panthers, who dropped to 1-7.
With the win, Bo Nix now holds the franchise record for the most wins by a rookie quarterback (five), passing John Elway (four) and Drew Lock (four). Nix previously broke the franchise record for the most completions by a rookie just six games into his career.
Nix had a historic day, but the game got off to a shaky start for the Broncos.
Denver’s offense got the ball first but Carolina took over near midfield after Broncos wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey lost a fumble on the third snap of the game. The Panthers took advantage of that turnover as Bryce Young led a 10-play, 49-yard drive that ended with a six-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Legette to take an early 7-0 lead.
On their next drive, the Broncos drove down to Carolina’s 28-yard line before Nix took a 13-yard sack that knocked Denver out of field goal range on third down. Riley Dixon and Co. then pinned the Panthers at their own one-yard line. Carolina promptly went three-and-out and the Broncos got the ball back at its 45-yard line.
Nix then led a seven-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end/fullback Nate Adkins to tie the game at 7-7.
One series later, Nix and the offense went 92 yards on seven plays on a drive that was capped off by Nix’s 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Adam Trautman to make it 14-7.
Following that score, Denver took over near midfield after Pat Surtain tackled Panthers running back Miles Sanders short of the line to gain on fourth down. The Broncos then went 48 yards and Nix scored on a one-yard QB sneak to extend the lead to 21-7 ahead of halftime.
In the second half, the Panthers turned it over on downs at their own 24-yard line after a fake punt fell incomplete when punter Johnny Hekker was unable to connect with gunner Sam Franklin. Denver took advantage of that field position four plays later when Nix threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to running back Jaleel McLaughlin to make it 28-7.
Later in the third quarter, Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain intercepted a Young pass, but Denver wasn’t able to capitalize off that turnover.
In the fourth quarter, Broncos kicker Wil Lutz lined up for a 60-yard field goal attempt, but the team ran a fake to tight end Lucas Krull. The fake failed as Krull was tackled five yards short of the line to gain.
Later in the fourth quarter, Denver cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian picked off a Young pass in the end zone, essentially sealing the game.
The Broncos attempted to pour it on late in the game with a trick play that featured wide receiver Courtland Sutton throwing a deep pass to fullback Michael Burton. Sutton completed the pass but Denver turned it over three plays later when Sutton lost a fumble on his eighth catch of the game.
The Panthers scored a garbage time touchdown late in the fourth when Young threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jalen Coker. That made it 28-14, which ended up being the final score after Carolina failed to recover an onside kick.
Nix finished the game 28-of-37 passing for 284 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers, good for a 124.2 passer rating. Nix also rushed four times for five yards and a score.
On the injury front, Krull left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury, but he later returned to the game. Surtain also suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.
Up next for the Broncos is back-to-back road games against the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas city Chiefs (view the full schedule here).
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Bo Nix throws a TD pass to Adam Trautman and the Broncos now lead the Panthers 14-7!
Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Adam Trautman in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
Here’s video of the play, courtesy of the team’s official Twitter/X page:
Happy #NationalTightEndsDay to all who celebrate!
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/QHZvkV6rQX
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 27, 2024
With that score, Denver took a 14-7 lead over Carolina.
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Lucas Krull breakout game incoming? The Panthers’ defense has struggled to defend tight ends this season.
Lucas Krull has been the Denver Broncos‘ most productive tight end this season, yet his stat line is underwhelming: 6 catches for 57 yards.
Greg Dulcich (5 catches for 28 yards), a former third-round pick, has been a healthy scratch in recent weeks. Nate Adkins (four catches for 19 yards) is used more as a blocker than as a receiver. Adam Trautman is listed as the starting tight end on the depth chart, but he only has two catches for 32 yards.
Things could turn around against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The Panthers defense has allowed the 12th-most yards (366) and the most touchdowns (four) to tight ends this season.
So, can the Broncos get their tight ends more involved this week?
“It’s a great question,” coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. “I think it’s one of the quarterback’s allies because generally, you get some of these coverages that they aren’t necessarily doubling the outside, but the individual matchups are in the triangle inside with the runner and the tight end.
“There was one play where he [Bo Nix] is climbing and we just missed Lucas. We’re one play away from not having to answer that question, but it’s a good question. We’ll keep working that.”
Krull seems to be the team’s best receiving tight end, so if any of them are going to have a breakout against Carolina, he’s the top candidate.
“[We’re] just playing what the defense gives you,” Nix said when asked about Krull’s role on offense. “If they give us those opportunities, we’ll continue to take it. I thought he had a great catch down the middle of the field. We’re doing a good job of spreading the ball out throughout the offense. A lot of guys are getting touches. Some guys at times get a lot, some guys don’t get many and then the next game, it feels like it flips.
“That part is good because the defense doesn’t necessarily know who we’re targeting. Anybody’s up for the ball on any given play. All the position groups, we are going to continue to get better and work. We could have some stuff happen for us in the future.”
That diplomatic answer from Nix didn’t reveal any of the game plan going into the Panthers game, but if one of Denver’s tight ends is going to have a big game, this week’s matchup could be the stage for it.
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“I’m thankful for it,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after Thursday’s game against the Saints. “It was kind of emotional.”
Leading up to the Denver Broncos‘ game against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football, coach Sean Payton admitted that there would be some emotions when facing his old team, but Payton said he was keeping his focus on just getting another win.
Broncos players downplayed it as “just another game.”
Clearly, that wasn’t true.
After a 33-10 win, Payton received a game ball from Denver’s ownership group and he got emotional while delivering his postgame speech. It was anything but just another game for Payton.
“It meant a lot,” Payton said in his postgame press conference when asked about getting a game ball. “There were a lot of moments here. You get to see a lot of old players that were here and to be with this team and this ownership group. It’s the reason that you miss it. The one year out. You miss relationships and making memories.
“It’s like I told them a couple of weeks ago. [Pat] Surtain’s interception right in front of our bench. There will be a time that I won’t remember his name and I’ll be having apple sauce out of a straw, but I’ll remember that play. That part about being around young people and having a chance to be a part of their journey and coach them is a pretty good job. I’m thankful for it. It was kind of emotional.”
https://twitter.com/Scotty_G6/status/1847131360516780264
The players knew what Thursday meant to Payton. They downplayed it leading up to the game, but it was a special night for the coach.
“It was awesome,” quarterback Bo Nix said. “The Saints mean a lot to him. He was there for a while (and) had amazing success. It’s tough to go back to a place where you called home for that long and you fought for, and now you are playing against. It was special. It was a great moment. I’m happy for him.
“I’m happy for everybody that has been a part of that organization for so long. There was a lot of guys that came over with him that we are just (as) happy about (the win). It was a good team win. Everybody contributed. Everybody was on their toes with a short week and came our prepared and ready to roll.”
Broncos tight end Adam Trautman is one of eight former Saints who now play for Payton in Denver.
“It meant a lot,” Trautman said. “It probably couldn’t have gone any better, to be honest. He talked about ‘next game,’ but, obviously everyone knew that it meant a little something to him and we wanted to win it because it is the ‘next game,’ but, we knew how special it was to him. There are 22 guys here from New Orleans. So, just doing it for everyone (was special). Getting to 4-3
was the goal.”
Broncos defensive lineman Malcolm Roach, another ex-Saint, said the game brought back a lot of memories and “meant a lot” for him.
https://twitter.com/scotty_g6/status/1847132976536080579?s=46
Payton joined the Saints in 2006, one year after Hurricane Katrina. They immediately made the NFC Championship game in the coach’s first season and won a Super Bowl in his fourth season. Payton’s tenure in New Orleans was about more than just football.
“I think (about) what happened here and I’m going back to 2005 before any of us have arrived,” Payton said. “A lot changed with this city and more than any player and any coach from 2006 and on that it was bigger than football. There were schools and hospitals not opened. There were a lot of things up in the air.
“So you appreciate those people that came when they didn’t necessarily had to. That was a unique time. None of us were prepared for that. We were all anxious and excited about our new job opportunities, but none of us understood what it would mean and how big it would become. That part of it is different and kind of special.”
Because the Broncos and Saints play in separate conferences, they don’t meet often. Their last game before Thursday was back in 2020. After last night’s win, Payton was asked if it was the last time he’ll coach at the Caesars Superdome.
“I don’t think this is the last time that I am ever going to coach in this place,” Payton said, “[but] this was the last team I hadn’t beaten.”
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Entering his second year with the Broncos, Adam Trautman will compete for the TE1 role this summer.
Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fifth-year tight end Adam Trautman, No. 82.
Before the Broncos: Trautman (6-5, 253 pounds) was originally drafted by current Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton during his time with the New Orleans Saints, in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft (105th overall). Trautman spent three years with the Saints, playing in 43 games, starting 28 of those contests. With New Orleans, Trautman caught 60 passes for 641 yards and four touchdowns.
Broncos tenure: During the 2023 NFL draft, the Broncos traded the 195th overall pick to the Saints in exchange for Trautman and a seventh-round pick (that pick parlayed into center Alex Forsyth).
Trautman had a productive first season with the Broncos in 2023, filling in for an injured tight end Greg Dulcich. Playing in all 17 games with 12 starts, Trautman caught 22 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns in 2023.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: Near lock. Trautman’s in a heated battle for the starting tight end job. He is battling both Dulcich and Lucas Krull for the starting role in Payton’s system. Even if he doesn’t end up starting in Week 1, Trautman seems very likely to make the active roster.
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At least a dozen Broncos players are working out at TCU ahead of training camp. Jarrett Stidham is hosting teammates in Dallas.
Last month, Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton revealed that he and several teammates planned to work out in the Dallas area ahead of training camp.
Those workouts kicked off this week, organized by Texas native Jarrett Stidham, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. The players are practicing at TCU in Fort Worth.
Stidham shared a photo on his Instagram page Tuesday showing the QB and 11 teammates at TCU’s indoor facility. Stidham and Sutton were joined by tight end Adam Trautman, fullback Michael Burton, quarterback Bo Nix, running back Jaleel McLaughlin and receivers Tim Patrick, Marvin Mims, Jalen Virgil, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Michael Bandy and David Sills.
It’s possible that other players might be joining the workouts later in the week.
Stidham’s post had a simple caption: “Work.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/C9OHTxypTrK/?hl=en
Nix and other rookies will report to the team’s facility in Colorado ahead of training camp on July 17. Stidam and the team’s veterans will report on July 23. The Broncos will begin training camp practices on July 26.
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There are more players from Washington’s 2020 draft class in New Orleans than on the Commanders’ roster. But they outnumber the Saints’ own 2020 draft picks, too:
Don’t look now, but the New Orleans Saints have rostered more players from the Washington Commanders’ 2020 draft class than Washington themselves. There isn’t a single player that the Commanders picked in 2020 remaining in Washington. Two of them landed with the Saints this offseason: defensive end Chase Young (a first-round pick) and linebacker Khaleke Kudson (a fifth rounder). The Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Matthew Paras, a former Washington beat writer, first shared this observation.
But here’s the twist. There are more players from Washington’s 2020 draft class now suiting up for the Saints than New Orleans’ own 2020 draft haul. The Saints went into the 2020 draft talking up a quality-over-quantity approach, trading up three times and coming away with just four players: right guard Cesar Ruiz, linebacker Zack Baun, tight end Adam Trautman, and quarterback-turned-tight end Tommy Stevens.
That plan blew up in their face. The Saints cut Stevens early in the season after initially stashing him on their practice squad. They traded Trautman during the 2023 draft (to the Denver Broncos, reuniting him with Sean Payton). Baun left in free agency last month to sign a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The only player remaining from that four-man band is Ruiz, who signed a contract extension last September.
So the Saints have two players from Washington’s 2020 draft class and just one of their own. That’s not the best of resources by either team. Regime change has already come for the Commanders (plus a change in ownership), and it might be on the way for New Orleans if the Saints miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row and the third season with Dennis Allen as head coach. Hopefully they can turn things around, one way or another.
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