Broncos defense pulled off something that hasn't been done in over 40 years
Everyone in Broncos Country was excited to see rookie quarterback Bo Nix make his first start, becoming the first rookie quarterback to start Week 1 for the Denver Broncos since John Elway back in 1983. Apparently, the Broncos were partying like it was 1983 because the Denver defense accomplished something that hadn't been done for the team since 1983.
In a pretty dominant overall first half against the Seattle Seahawks, the Broncos' defense forced not just one but two safeties. The first safety came after an interception thrown by Bo Nix at the one-yard line and the second one came as a result of a great punt by Riley Dixon and outstanding coverage by the Broncos, specifically from Tremon Smith.
Broncos defense forces two safeties in 1st half vs. Seahawks
Two safeties in the same quarter.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) September 8, 2024
My goodness.
First time since Dec. 3, 2017 -- Miami (vs. Denver) that a team had two safeties in the same game.
First time since Jan. 2, 1983 (in Seattle) that the Broncos have had 2 safeties in a game.
You don't see this happen very often in the NFL, obviously, but the Denver Broncos' defense really put the clamps down when they had the Seattle Seahawks' offense pinned deep.
The first safety happened as a result of a holding penalty in the end zone, a play that was caused by interior defensive lineman DJ Jones. The second safety happened as a result of defensive end Zach Allen bursting through the line of scrimmage and getting the Seahawks running back down before he had a chance to extend the ball across the goal line.
The two safeties gave the Broncos their four-point lead at the end of the first half, in which the offense desperately needed the defense to come through in the ways that it did.
The Seahawks started the game with the football and the Broncos immediately got to Geno Smith on the first two plays, causing him to throw an interception to Alex Singleton on just the Seahawks' second play of the game. The only lapse by Denver's defense came on one drive in which Pat Surtain II was called for a ticky-tack pass interference, and Geno Smith was able to avoid pressure and scamper in from 33 yards out on a pretty incredible overall play.
The Broncos led the Seahawks 13-9 at the end of the first half thanks to their defense's dominant performance, as well as a hat tip to an outstanding performance by the special teams units.
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