Denver Broncos vs Seattle Seahawks Match Player Stats (Sep 8, 2024)
Seattle spoiled Bo Nix’s NFL debut with a 26-20 victory at Lumen Field on September 8, 2024, in the season opener for both teams. Kenneth Walker III rushed 20 times for 103 yards and a touchdown, while Tyler Lockett caught six passes for 77 yards. Nix completed 26 of 42 passes for 138 yards with two interceptions against Mike Macdonald’s defense. Josh Reynolds led Denver receivers with five catches for 45 yards.
The sell-out crowd of 68,714 disrupted Nix’s cadence calls throughout the game. Weather conditions were ideal for passing: 73 degrees with calm 7 mph winds.
Game Changers
- Kenneth Walker: 19 yards (1st half) → 84 yards (2nd half)
- Julian Love: INT at goal line, forced fumble, 10 solo tackles
- Denver’s red zone: 1-for-4 (left at least 12 points on field)
- Seattle’s defense: Held Broncos to 231 total yards
Table of Contents
Game Leaders
| Category | Denver Broncos | Seattle Seahawks |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | Bo Nix: 26/42, 138 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT | Geno Smith: 18/25, 171 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Bo Nix: 5 carries, 35 yards, 1 TD | Kenneth Walker III: 20 carries, 103 yards, 1 TD |
| Receiving | Josh Reynolds: 5 rec, 45 yards | Tyler Lockett: 6 rec, 77 yards |
| Tackles | Riley Moss: 12 total (8 solo) | Julian Love: 12 total (10 solo) |
| Sacks | Jonathon Cooper: 2.0 | Boye Mafe: 1.0 |
Quarterback Battle
| Quarterback | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | QBR | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bo Nix (DEN) | 26/42 | 138 | 0 | 2 | 2-6 | 34.2 | 47.5 |
| Geno Smith (SEA) | 18/25 | 171 | 1 | 1 | 2-13 | 71.3 | 87.2 |
Nix averaged just 3.3 yards per attempt as Seattle’s disguised coverages confused the rookie in his first NFL start. Macdonald’s defense showed zone pre-snap, then rotated to man coverage after the snap. Other times they showed pressure but dropped eight into coverage. The 12th overall pick couldn’t diagnose what he was seeing fast enough.
The rookie kept fighting despite constant pressure. His 23-yard scramble on Denver’s final touchdown drive showed the mobility that made him dangerous at Oregon. Protection breakdowns forced him to create outside the pocket.
Smith’s 71.3 QBR reflected steady work after an ugly opening drive where he got sacked and threw an interception on consecutive plays. His 34-yard touchdown scramble in the second quarter became the longest run of his 11-year career, turning upfield on busted coverage and outrunning Denver’s pursuit angle to the end zone. The veteran showed poise, completing 72% of his passes.
Ground Game Breakdown
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Average | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenneth Walker III | SEA | 20 | 103 | 5.2 | 1 | 23 |
| Bo Nix | DEN | 5 | 35 | 7.0 | 1 | 23 |
| Geno Smith | SEA | 4 | 30 | 7.5 | 1 | 34 |
| Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN | 10 | 27 | 2.7 | 0 | 15 |
| Javonte Williams | DEN | 8 | 23 | 2.9 | 0 | 9 |
| Zach Charbonnet | SEA | 8 | 12 | 1.5 | 0 | 6 |
Denver’s front seven dominated the first half as D.J. Jones and Zach Allen penetrated consistently, blowing up Seattle’s inside zone runs. Seattle switched schemes at intermission, and Walker’s 23-yard touchdown at 10:44 of the third quarter gave the Seahawks their first lead. The 100-yard performance was Walker’s seventh in his career and first since Week 7 of 2023.
Receiving Leaders
| Player | Team | Targets | Receptions | Yards | Average | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Lockett | SEA | 7 | 6 | 77 | 12.8 | 0 | 19 |
| Josh Reynolds | DEN | 8 | 5 | 45 | 9.0 | 0 | 25 |
| Devaughn Vele | DEN | 8 | 8 | 39 | 4.9 | 0 | 9 |
| Courtland Sutton | DEN | 12 | 4 | 38 | 9.5 | 0 | 17 |
| DK Metcalf | SEA | 4 | 3 | 29 | 9.7 | 0 | 12 |
| Zach Charbonnet | SEA | 3 | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 1 | 30 |
Lockett sealed the victory with a spectacular catch at 1:48 remaining. On third-and-six, he extended his left arm behind a defender’s back, snatching Geno Smith’s off-target throw with one hand while being grabbed. The veteran’s body control and concentration allowed Seattle to run out the clock. Lockett’s 8,071 career receiving yards rank second in franchise history, trailing only Steve Largent.
Seventh-round rookie Devaughn Vele led Denver in receptions but averaged under five yards per catch. Seattle’s zone coverage took away vertical routes, forcing Nix to check down repeatedly. Courtland Sutton drew 12 targets but managed just four catches for 38 yards as Seattle’s tight coverage windows gave Nix nowhere to go with the football.
Defensive Standouts
| Player | Team | Tackles (Solo) | Sacks | TFL | QB Hits | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riley Moss | DEN | 12 (8) | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Julian Love | SEA | 12 (10) | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Tyrel Dodson | SEA | 10 (9) | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Alex Singleton | DEN | 9 (6) | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Devon Witherspoon | SEA | 7 (5) | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jonathon Cooper | DEN | 6 (2) | 2.0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Jones | DEN | 6 (4) | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pat Surtain II | DEN | 6 (4) | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Rayshawn Jenkins | SEA | 6 (6) | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jerome Baker | SEA | 5 (3) | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Julian Love dominated all three phases. His goal line interception at 11:34 of the second quarter came after reading Nix’s eyes. The rookie stared down Courtland Sutton on a route into triple coverage. Love recognized the throw before Nix released it, jumping in front at the 1-yard line. He also punched the ball out of Audric Estime’s hands early in the second quarter and finished with 10 solo tackles, flying downhill to destroy screens before they developed.
Jonathon Cooper recorded both Denver sacks in the first half, beating right tackle Stone Forsythe with speed rushes. His four quarterback hits kept the Broncos competitive early. Leonard Williams didn’t record a sack but hit Nix four times, including the pressure that caused the goal line interception. Williams fought through double teams with hand usage and counters, collapsing the pocket on multiple plays.
Team Statistics
| Category | Denver Broncos | Seattle Seahawks |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 13 | 19 |
| Total Yards | 231 | 304 |
| Passing Yards | 132 | 158 |
| Rushing Yards | 99 | 146 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 5/18 (27.8%) | 4/12 (33.3%) |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 1/4 (25%) | 0/1 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 2 |
| Penalties | 8-60 | 6-41 |
| Time of Possession | 31:14 | 28:46 |
Denver managed just 13 first downs, the fewest Seattle has allowed since holding the Jets to 12 in Week 14 of 2020. The Broncos went 1-for-4 in the red zone, settling for field goals instead of touchdowns on three scoring chances. Additional player statistics and game analysis available at Match Player Stats.
Halftime: Denver 13, Seattle 9
How It Happened
Alex Singleton read Geno Smith’s eyes on Seattle’s second play, jumping a crossing route for an interception at the Seahawks 41. The sellout crowd went silent as Denver took over in prime field position. The Broncos couldn’t capitalize, settling for a 35-yard Wil Lutz field goal.
Right tackle George Fant left with a knee injury in the first quarter, forcing rookie Stone Forsythe into action against Seattle’s edge rushers. The protection issues mounted as the game progressed.
Anthony Bradford got caught holding in the end zone at 11:22 of the second quarter, handing Denver a safety and possession. Another safety came at 4:24 when Jonathon Cooper and Zach Allen converged on Zach Charbonnet behind the goal line. Denver became the first team since the 1987 Saints to score two safeties in a season opener.
Dee Williams muffed a punt at 10:26 of the second quarter, and JL Skinner recovered for the Broncos at the Seattle 9. Sean Payton’s offense managed just three points, settling for a 30-yard field goal. Payton acknowledged postgame the team needed to punch in touchdowns in those situations.
Smith’s 34-yard touchdown scramble with 5:55 left in the second quarter cut Denver’s lead to 8-6. He took off on third-and-two when no one was open, turned upfield through a crease, and outran linebackers to the end zone. The two-point conversion failed.
Denver led 13-9 at halftime after Lutz connected from 45 yards with two seconds remaining.
Walker broke through on Seattle’s opening drive of the third quarter. His 23-yard touchdown run at 10:44 gave Seattle its first lead at 16-13. Jason Myers added a 28-yard field goal at 4:09 of the third after a 10-play drive to extend the advantage to 19-13.
Charbonnet caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Smith on the first play of the fourth quarter, extending alone down the seam as Smith threw before the safety could rotate over. The score pushed Seattle’s lead to 26-13 with 14:54 remaining.
Nix scrambled four yards for a touchdown with 2:09 left, fighting through contact at the goal line. The two-point attempt failed, leaving Denver down 26-20. Seattle recovered the onside kick and Lockett’s third-down conversion allowed them to run out the clock.
Why the Game Turned
Halftime Adjustments Changed Everything
Seattle’s offensive line coach made critical adjustments to counter Denver’s penetrating defensive tackles. They abandoned inside zone runs that went nowhere in the first half and switched to outside zone concepts that got Walker into space. Counter runs forced Denver’s linebackers to flow the wrong direction, creating cutback lanes.
Walker gained just 19 yards before halftime as Jones and Allen destroyed plays in the backfield. After intermission, Seattle’s new blocking angles neutralized that aggression. Walker finished with 84 yards in the second half, breaking through tackles and consistently gaining yards after contact. His 84-yard second-half explosion decided the game.
Red Zone Failures Cost Denver
The Broncos reached the red zone four times and scored one touchdown. After recovering the muffed punt at the Seattle 9, Denver got just three points. Audric Estime fumbled after a 12-yard gain when Julian Love punched the ball out. Adam Trautman recovered, but the drive stalled at the Seattle 13 when Nix couldn’t find anyone open against man coverage.
Sean Payton acknowledged Denver’s receivers struggled to separate in compressed areas. Seattle played tight man coverage with a safety over the top. Tight end Greg Dulcich got open twice for 12 yards total, but Seattle’s secondary took away every other option. Those failures left at least 12 points on the field.
Nix Couldn’t Handle the Pressure
Nix faced frequent blitzes throughout his first NFL start. Macdonald brought pressure from different angles, overloading one side while showing balanced fronts pre-snap. The rookie couldn’t identify where the free rusher would come from, particularly after Fant’s injury forced Forsythe into action.
His two interceptions came on poor decisions. Julian Love’s goal line pick came when Nix threw into triple coverage, staring down Sutton the entire route. Riq Woolen’s fourth-quarter interception happened when the cornerback closed from across the field with exceptional speed, jumping an inside route Nix telegraphed.
Protection broke down on nearly every drive. Seattle hit Nix seven times beyond the two sacks. The offensive line allowed consistent penetration, giving the rookie little time to scan the field. Boye Mafe generated eight pressures without recording a sack, collapsing the pocket from the edge.
Seattle’s Defense Dominated
The Seahawks held Denver to 231 total yards, the fewest allowed since Week 6 against Cincinnati in 2023. Macdonald’s coaching debut showcased his scheme that confused Nix with disguised zones that rotated to man coverage post-snap. Devon Witherspoon and Tyrel Dodson both dropped potential interceptions that would have made this more lopsided.
Denver averaged 3.4 yards per play. Nine of Denver’s 15 drives ended in three-and-outs or turnovers.
What This Meant
Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme passed its first test, confusing a highly experienced college quarterback with disguises and pressure angles Nix couldn’t solve. Walker’s second-half resurgence and Seattle’s halftime blocking adjustments delivered the victory in the new coach’s debut.
For Denver, the lessons were expensive. Red zone failures cost at least 12 points. Nix needs better protection and faster processing speed against NFL coverages.
Denver’s losing streak in Seattle reached 22 years, stretching back to November 2002. The Broncos forced two turnovers and scored two safeties but couldn’t capitalize fully, managing just 13 points in the first half. Despite controlling possession for 31:14, Denver managed only 231 yards. Complete statistics and play-by-play document how Seattle’s second-half adjustments changed the outcome.
Those red zone failures and Nix’s two critical interceptions define the gap between competitive effort and winning execution.
