Broncos Player Grades for Week 1's Ugly 17-16 Loss to Seahawks

It's time to grade the Denver Broncos' Week 1 performance at the individual level.

On Monday Night Football, the Denver Broncos lost a game to the Seattle Seahawks that they should have won — on paper. Instead, there were many self-inflicted wounds that eventually caused Denver to walk out with the loss. 

The Russell Wilson revenge game fell short with many letdowns. In critical moments, the coaching staff faltered, as did the players, and the Broncos couldn't punch it in. 

There were some bright spots, and most of the issues this team exhibited can be corrected. However, with the Broncos' schedule, they need to focus on correcting those issues quickly as they cannot afford to continue to lose games they 'should' win. 

It could be the difference between a win and a loss, as it was against Seattle, which could, in turn, be the difference between sitting at home or being in the playoffs. 

So, a quick word about the grading system and then the grades. 

Grading System

As always, a few quick notes about how grading works. Each player starts with a 50.0 grade, which is average, and with each positive play, their grade goes up, and with each bad play, it drops.

There were slight adjustments to the scoring system to balance the grading scale, as well as the minimum number of snaps to qualify for a grade climbing from 15 to 20. However, the biggest change is the addition of grades for the coaching staff. 

The main elements are the predictability of their calls, creativity, player usage, time management, and how prepared the team looks. In addition, the coaches are graded similarly to the players on a play-by-play basis. 

MVPs:

Offense: Courtland Sutton | WR

Grade: 74.2

The MVP for the offense had a solid game, but it wasn't great. Sutton struggled against Seattle's fifth-round rookie Tariq Woolen in the passing game. Sutton did manage to find space and make a play a couple of times. His effort and play as a blocker on the edge stood out, which helped out the ball carriers often. 

Defense: D.J. Jones | DT

Grade: 91.3

Jones was the best player on the field for the Broncos in every phase of the game. He was a menace for the Seahawks offensive line and did such a good job eating up space and blocks to free up others. There was a missed tackle from Jones where the ball carrier was able to break out of his grasp. He played all but 12 snaps on defense, and when he wasn't on the field, the defense looked significantly worse. 

The Positive

Bradley Chubb | OLB

Grade: 85.8

Chubb came in clutch with a couple of sacks late in the game, but he was getting consistent pressure throughout the game. However, he made a grave error on the first touchdown pass as he came up to make contact with Geno Smith, leaving the tight end with no one covering him. There seemed to be a lot of miscommunication on the play, limiting some negative impact.

The great news is that Chubb looked like he did his rookie year and consistently was one of the few bright spots on defense. His play as a pass rusher and run defender made him look like the real deal. 

Randy Gregory | OLB

Grade: 83.3

While Gregory was on a pitch count, he made his impact felt. He tied for the most pressures, playing 14 snaps as a pass rusher, 18 fewer than the player he tied with. It was a great outing, but Gregory's impact was limited by the quick passing game the Seahawks used. If he can stay on the field and finish those pressures, he should have a big year. 

Ronald Darby | CB

Grade: 80.7

Darby was excellent in his run support off the edge, and his play in coverage was the best Denver had. He had one bad play in coverage that seemed to come on yet another miscommunication on defense. There were a lot of those in this game. That aside, it was a very promising start for the cornerback. 

Garett Bolles | OT

Grade: 70.3

Bolles had a solid game, but he did have his losses. He gave up two pressures in pass protection but was otherwise great. His play as a run blocker was effective and got the job done, getting some push. However, Denver needs him to be more consistent moving forward than he was in this game. 

Cam Fleming | OT

Grade: 69.7

There was a lot of worry about Fleming getting the start, but he played relatively well. He allowed three pressures but held his own and then some more often. As for his play as a run blocker, Fleming was great and probably the best and most consistent run blocker for both teams. 

Melvin Gordon | RB

Grade: 63.6

Gordon showed his superior vision consistently as a runner and led the Broncos in rushing attempts. His speed and burst work extremely well in the scheme. The goal-line fumble was an issue, but it was an instance where he had to reach for the touchdown. Not ideal, but it was something he had to try as it was a fourth-down play. That was the biggest negative impact on his night and what kept his grade below 70. 

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The Negative

Lloyd Cushenberry III | C

Grade: 39.0

Denver essentially handed Cushenberry the job; with the talking points that he took great steps in his development. But on opening night, he allowed multiple pressures and penetration in the run game. As it's been since he started as a rookie, Cushenberry remains the weakest link on the Broncos' offensive line. After going from a bottom-3 center as a rookie to  bottom-5 last season, perhaps Cushenberry can grow to be only a bottom-8 center. 

Patrick Surtain II | CB

Grade: 40.5

Surtain was expected to take this huge step, but he was an issue all night. To be fair, the issue didn't seem to fully be his fault, but rather that of consistently playing so far off the line of scrimmage. Surtain allowed every target to be caught on plays that counted, but he did well to limit the damage after the catch. However, his tackling was an issue, and concerns remain about his overall physicality as a defender, especially against the run. 

Alex Singleton | LB

Grade: 43.1

The preseason was a harbinger that Singleton would be rough this season. He struggled against backups and third-stringers, and then he was expected to perform against starters? Denver can use Josey Jewell sooner rather than later because Singleton is a liability. What Singleton showed against the Seahawks, where he was tied for the team lead in tackles, is why tackles aren't a reliable indicator of solid linebacker play. 

Graham Glasgow | OG

Grade: 47.8

Glasgow had an up-and-down night, with his biggest down coming on an audible where he didn't hear the call. His play showed why the coaches were right to have him as a backup, not a starter. Glasgow allowed two pressures in pass protection and struggled consistently as a run blocker. The right side of the line took a step back when Quinn Meinerz exited with a hamstring injury. 

Javonte Williams | RB

Grade: 50.1

Williams' vision as a runner was a concern in this new scheme, after his debut in it, it was a valid one. He continued to run into contact when he didn't need to and had open space. That is Williams' playstyle, but it leaves yards on the field and does hurt the offense. His goal-line fumble was bad ball security, where he allowed it to get punched out of his grasp. However, Williams' play as a receiver saved his grade and he showed improvement in that area compared to last season. 

DeShawn Williams | DL 

Grade: 52.9

Williams got the start and was bullied in the run game. He was consistently pushed out of his gap and out of the way. To help the linebackers, he has to eat up space and hold blocks better than he did. Hopefully, Williams can show improvement there as he has the past couple of seasons. 

Other Noteworthy Grades

Dre'Mont Jones | DL

Grade: 63.6

There was a lot of hype for Jones this offseason, but he was mostly invisible in the game. He did have a few nice plays as a pass rusher, but a quicker passing game negated those. Even so, he picked up four hurries, and tied for the most pressures. The concerns about his run defense were not answered but only intensified in this contest. 

Dalton Risner | OG

Grade: 60.7

When it came to his play as a run blocker, Risner was inconsistent. However, he had a strong showing in pass protection, allowing zero pressures as part of a unit that allowed nine total. Despite Risner's struggles, Denver had a decent run game, so if he can turn it around, the rushing attack could be legit. 

Russell Wilson | QB

Grade: 56.3

Statistically, the game was great from Wilson, but the tape doesn't back it up. He doesn't seem to have the same magic in his legs that he used to, which was a concern mentioned all offseason. The bigger concern was how spotty his arm was with a lack of velocity and underthrown deep shots, which used to be gimmes for Wilson. Hopefully, this was just an issue of it being the first game and not a sign of something permanent. 

Kareem Jackson | SS

Grade: 53.7

Jackson doesn't have it in coverage anymore, and so he needs to play closer to the line of scrimmage. He has clearly lost a step or three, and playing farther from the line is a hindrance. The expectation was for Caden Sterns to step into a starting role over Jackson, but he only played five snaps on defense. Maybe that should be revisited. 

Coaches

Nathaniel Hackett | HC

Grade: 30.8

There doesn't need to be much said here. The final seven minutes of the game were the worst coaching I have ever seen in football. Denver went into its final drive playing for a long field goal to win it, despite having a good amount of time and three timeouts left. That doesn't even touch on the penalties and shotgun runs in short-yard situations, including on the goal-line. It was a mess of a debut for Hackett, but the good news is that it can't get much worse. One bright spot was there seemed to be some decent creativity with the offensive play-calling, but the execution was lackluster. 

Ejiro Evero | DC

Grade: 59.5

When you have one of the best press corners in the NFL, and you play him off, that is an issue. What compounds that issue is when said press corner allows a 100% completion percentage when targeted for the first half of the game, and you don't adjust as the coordinator. Evero had his unit working up front, but the former passing game coordinator dealt with issues in the secondary. The Broncos allowed Smith to complete all but five passes in the game. For as good as the front did, they were let down often because of the coverage breakdowns, miscommunications, and poor play in general from the secondary. 

Dwayne Stukes | STC

Grade: 67.1

This is a little skewed with the lack of punts and only four kick returns. Denver didn't look great on its kick coverage or returns. Punt coverage was good, but the Broncos' own returns were poor. The issues seemed to be a failure on the part of a player or two more than the design of the call, which hasn't been the case the past few years. 

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