Broncos vs. Seahawks: 3 takeaways from Denver's 26-20 loss

The Broncos fell to the Seahawks, 26-20, on Sunday at Lumen Field in Week 1 of the NFL season. Here are three takeaways from the defeat:

A Nix-ed bag

Welcome to the Bo Nix experience. Strap in for a bumpy ride. The rookie quarterback mostly stumbled and sometimes shined in a losing NFL debut. Nix threw two picks. He got penalized on a false start in the red zone. Nearly all of his 26 completions for 138 yards were short-yardage throws. However, Nix needed more help. Wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey dropped a pass and running back Jaleel McLaughlin lost a fumble. Counterpoint: Nix finished the game with a 4-yard touchdown scramble. So, expect continued patience in Week 2 at home against the Steelers.

Capitalize on mistakes

The Seahawks tried their best to lose the game early. Quarterback Geno Smith threw a pick on the second play from scrimmage and return man Dee Williams later muffed a punt deep in his own territory. Seattle gave up two safeties in the second quarter alone. Yet the Broncos didn’t fully capitalize with a 13-9 lead at halftime. Seattle regrouped at the break and unleashed their ground attack. Kenneth Walker III rushed for a 23-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give the Seahawks the lead — and they never looked back.

New team, same problems

Two huge issues that plagued the Broncos last season: Ineffective red zone offense and anemic rushing defense. Sound familiar? It happened yet again on Sunday at Lumen Field. Sean Payton’s offense settled for three field goals and produced one touchdown. The Seahawks running game averaged 5.1 yards per carry against a supposedly improved front seven. It’s far too early to panic in a rebuilding season with a rookie quarterback. But it’s hard to imagine this team winning many games in 2024 without significant improvement.