The Denver Broncos pulled off an upset at home, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 17-14 in overtime with great defensive play and a strong first-half offense.
The Broncos' second-half offense? Putrid. The Broncos turned in some great individual performances, especially on defense, which ultimately led to the big win.
The offense did enough, but the Broncos can once again thank their defense as they've jumped out to a 4-2 start. This week's player grades reflect how "magnificent" the Broncos' defense played and the tale of two halves from the offense.
Defensive MVP: Alex Singleton | LB | Grade: 84.5
Singleton had a great game, flying around the field to make plays against the run and keep the Seahawks' passing game from developing. Some of his coverage drops were right where Sam Darnold intended to go, forcing him to adjust and often giving the pass rush that extra moment to get there.
Offensive MVP: RJ Harvey | RB | Grade: 74.9
Harvey works well in space, and the Broncos got him going a few times with screens. What stood out most, though, was his improvement in the run game, particularly his vision, which helped him average 4.2 yards per carry. He still had a couple of bad runs, but on six carries, four were successful, including a one-yard touchdown run.
Quarterback: Bo Nix | Grade: 51.4
Nix had a great start, looking poised, confident, and tough, and while the offense struggled in the second half, that early-game production still rang true. However, he didn’t have an answer for the Seahawks' defensive adjustments and began to look frustrated and confused by what he was seeing.
Nix's EPA/Pass in the third and fourth quarters was two of his four lowest EPA/pass quarters of the season
The Positive
Nik Bonitto | OLB | Grade: 81.7
Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas, the Seahawks' tackles, are still stuck in the spin cycle that Bonitto put them in. Bonitto's pass rush was great, and he made some big plays off his spin move. This was probably his best game when it came to setting up counters and then adjusting when his opponent started to slow him down.
Ja’Quan McMillian | CB | Grade: 78.9
The Seahawks have a tough receiving corps, and the Broncos switched up their defense to account for injuries. McMillian handled the switch and played near an elite level, filling the box score with a sack and an interception while also playing tough against the run.
Garett Bolles | LT | Grade: 74.7
This was Bolles' best game of the season as a run blocker and one of the best as a pass protector. He drew a bad holding penalty, which was an easy call because he had the defender's head wrapped in his arm, but it was one of few negatives on his grade.
Quinn Meinerz | RG | Grade: 73.5
Meinerz was good throughout the game, but he lacked the elite blocking moments we've seen from him in his career, including this season. He didn’t allow any pressures and did well with his run blocking, though he struggled at times against a deep Seahawks defensive line.
The Negative
Jahdae Barorn | CB | Grade: 36.2
Unfortunately, Barron didn’t have as good a game as McMillian, though his grade drop is largely due to eight negative plays. In the grading system, each play is worth +/- three points, and Barron was minus three on all eight of those plays, for a 24-point drop. Five were coverage plays, and three were against the run.
Kris Abrams-Draine | CB | Grade: 39.8
Abrams-Draine had a similar issue to Barron, with about nine such plays. Without those nine plays, his grade would’ve been 64.2. Seattle picked on Abrams-Draine, though he made a few of his own. Overall, both Barron and Abrams-Draine showed some promise, and while they've definitely stepped up with injuries to Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss, their inexperience has been clear.
Adam Trautman | TE | Grade: 42.1
Trautman's run blocking is inconsistent at best, and he struggled against the Seahawks. His play as a receiver isn’t a redeeming quality, and if he doesn’t turn it around, Denver could quickly regret the extension they signed him to this past offseason.
Evan Engram | TE | Grade: 45.5
Engram isn’t a blocker, and never has been, but he usually makes up for it as a receiver. However, he didn’t make much of an impact against the Seahawks. Part of the reason was how they covered him, but he doesn’t look athletic, especially compared to his 2025 form.
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