Denver Broncos: Paxton Lynch shines for Seahawks, more reactions

How was the first-team offense?

The Broncos’ first-team offense took the opening kickoff and marched down the field to score a field goal. While some of the starters stayed in the game after that, that was the only time we saw Joe Flacco on the field.

Here’s how Flacco fared as a passer.

• Screen pass to Phillip Lindsay for 9 yards
• Screen pass to Tim Patrick for 9 yards
• Dumpoff to Royce Freeman for a short first down
• Incomplete on a fade to Courtland Sutton (3rd down, red zone)

Of course, ideally we would have liked Flacco and the top offense to score a touchdown, but that was ever so slightly out of reach. Flacco’s pass to Courtland Sutton had really no chance of being caught and Sutton slipped a little trying to create separation from the corner.

The Broncos were going up against mostly second-team defenders for Seattle, and despite a couple of plays not working exactly as planned, the offense moved the ball right downfield and got a huge play from Royce Freeman and Dalton Risner.

Watch that play again and again and just imagine it happening in regular-season action. It was truly a beauty.

There was also a vintage Phillip Lindsay play — he was involved early and often by the way — where a seemingly broken play turned into a brilliant first-down run.

Aside from some issues preventing the Seahawks’ defensive line from crashing down off the edge, it was a strong opening drive from Denver’s offense. Something to build on, for sure.

Broncos head coach Vic Fangio thought Flacco looked ‘comfortable’ running the top offense.