Nix starts slow in debut, Seahawks beat Broncos, 26-20 in season opener

SEATTLE — A shaky Bo Nix and the Broncos’ offense generated 0 points with all but 19 seconds left in the first half.

Yet, visiting Denver was leading the Seattle Seahawks at that point, 10-9.

How’s that?

First, the Seahawks’ offense was more inept than the Broncos’ offense, taking nothing away from the impressive effort by Vance Joseph’s Denver Defense.

As for the math, an Alex Singleton interception return to the Seattle 20 set up the Broncos’ first short field goal by Wil Lutz, a recovery of a Seahawks’ muffed punt by special teamer JL Skinner at the Seattle 9 set up another short field goal by Lutz, and the Denver defense came up with not one, but two safeties for 4 points.

Nix and the Broncos’ offense deserved none of the credit for that 10-9 lead.

Those missed opportunities to score touchdowns proved costly by game’s end. Seattle rebounded in the second half by turning to running back Kenneth Walker, who scored one touchdown and had another called back by penalty. A Geno Smith 30-yard touchdown pass to backup running back Zach Charbonnet had the Seahawks defeating the Broncos, 26-20 in the season opener played on a hazy-turned-sunny Sunday afternoon before a raucous crowd of 68,741 at Lumen Field.

Down, 26-13 with 4:28 remaining, Nix snapped out of his rough day by coming through with a 54-yard touchdown drive. He completed 4 of 5 passes on the hurry up drive, plus had runs of 23 yards and 4 yards for a touchdown. That brought the Broncos to within, 26-20 with 2:09 left.

With 1:54 left and Seattle facing a third and 11, Denver outside linebacker Baron  Browning jumped offside to make it third-and-6. Smith then hit Tyler Lockett, who made a terrific catch for the first down to ice it. 

Nix, frankly, seemed overwhelmed for major portions of the game but before calmly coming through late. He finished 26 of 42 but for only 138 yards with two interceptions.

No doubt, Broncos’ head coach Sean Payton was conservative in his play-calling in the first half. But with Nix misfiring on so many throws past the line of scrimmage, perhaps Payton was also calling a smart game.

Finally on third-and-9 from near midfield with 19 seconds left in the half, Nix threw a nice back-shoulder pass down the left sideline to Josh Reynolds, who beat man coverage for a 25-yard completion. That got Lutz close enough for a 45-yard field goal with 2 seconds left in the half and the Broncos were up 13-9 at the intermission. 

Nix was 12 of 22 for 67 yards with an interception at halftime.

The Broncos were not the same team in the second half as the Seahawks turned to Walker, whose running opened up the passing game for Smith. Walker had 19 yards rushing at halftime. He had 100 yards after the third quarter.

Smith had just 59 yards passing at halftime. He had 162 passing yards one play into the fourth quarter.

After looking so inept in the first half, the Seahawks’ offense scored two touchdowns and a field goal on their first three possessions of the second half.

Walker rushed for a 23-yard touchdown to finish Seattle’s first, second-half possession, then had a 6-yard scoring run called by a D.K. Metcalf holding penalty. The Seahawks settled for a short field goal. Then after Walker had his way on the Seahawks’ third possession after the break, Smith connected with backup running back Zach Charbonnet for a 30-yard touchdown pass down the right side.

That put Seattle up, 26-13 early in the fourth quarter. 

The best play of the first quarter was the 21-yard interception return by Singleton, the Broncos’ superb inside linebacker. It was the game’s second play. Seattle’s offense behind college-hired offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb was woefully dysfunctional against the Joseph-coordinated Denver defense. Seahawks’ quarterback Geno Smith was sacked by edge rusher Jonathon Cooper on the game’s first play, then was hit by defense tackle D.J. Jones as he threw a floater down the middle.

Singleton, playing a deep zone, intercepted and brought the ball back to the Seattle 20. A nice place for Nix to start his first NFL series. Javonte Williams rushed for 9 yards to set up second and 1 at the 11, but then Williams slipped on the next play for a loss and the Broncos wound up settling for a 35-yard field goal by Lutz.

Seattle tied it on a 50-yard field goal by Jacob Myers. It was 3-3 after the first quarter.

The Broncos got it going to start the second quarter with an explosive run by rookie Audric Estime – who had an 18-yard gain, but fumbled the ball backward while trying to hurdle a tackler. Broncos’ tight end Adam Trautman recovered. It became third and 9 and the Seahawks’ 21 when Nix threw it toward the goal line and receiver Courtland Sutton. But Seattle safety Julian Love ranged over to intercept at the 1.

And then Grubb called for Smith to roll left from his end zone. Seattle was flagged for holding D.J. Jones in the end zone and the Broncos were rewarded with a safety.

With 11:22 left in the first half, the Broncos were up, 5-3.

It became 8-3 when Seattle’s Dee Williams had a Riley Dixon bounce off his helmet. Williams the batted the ball around while trying to pick up the loose ball, but the Skinner recovered at the Seattle 9.

A great chance, but a jittery Nix was flagged for a false start, then came two consecutive runs calls then came a slant pattern to Sutton in the end zone that was badly underthrown. Lutz kicked a short field goal. So the Broncos had two takeaways that set up the Broncos’ offense at the Seattle 20 and Seattle 9 and the Broncos got just six points each time.

Smith finally scored on a 34-yard scramble up the middle to give Seattle a 9-8 lead. But then Denver’s Tremon Smith dowed a Dixon punt at the 1 – flipping the ball back to Skinner, who stopped at the 1. On the next play, Denver defensive end Zach Allen stuffed Charbonnet at the goal line for the safety.

The Broncos play their first home game next Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Empower Field at Mile High. Former Broncos’ quarterback Russell Wilson didn’t play in the Steeler’s season opener Sunday because of a calf strain so it remains to be seen whether he will play in Denver next week.

The Broncos’ inactive list included four rookies – fourth-round receiver Troy Franklin, fifth-round cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine, undrafted offensive tackle Frank Crum and undrafted running back Blake Watson.

Defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike, tight end Lucas Krull and No. 3 quarterback Zach Wilson were also inactive. Wilson was designated as the emergency quarterback and was dressed in full uniform on the sideline.

Franklin was essentially replaced on the game-day roster by receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, who was called up from the practice squad.

Game 1 of the regular season is huge for veteran players as their base salaries become fully guaranteed, per the collective bargaining agreement. The biggest beneficiary among Broncos players was left tackle Garett Bolles, whose $16 million salary went for $0 guaranteed to all $16 million guaranteed on Sunday.

Behind him was defensive tackle D.J. Jones, who went from $0 guaranteed to $9.49 million guaranteed. Other vets who had salary guarantees kick in were No. 2 quarterback Jarrett Stidham, inside linebacker Alex Singleton, special teams player Tremon Smith, punter Riley Dixon, receiver Courtland Sutton, defensive lineman Malcolm Roach and cornerback Levi Wallace.

SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Denver Broncos