The Broncos held a lead for most of the game, but led by just one possession early in the second quarter. That changed when the Broncos put together an eight-play, 86-yard drive early in the second frame. With a 20-yard run from Williams and a 30-yard pass from Bo Nix to Troy Franklin, Denver moved the ball into the red zone – and Williams capped the drive with a touchdown. The Saints were forced to play catch-up the rest of the game, and the Broncos defense was able to get past Rattler. Denver extended its lead even further in the second half, but the early lead led to a win.

The Broncos turned in their most productive rushing performance in more than a decade as Denver rushed for 225 yards and set the tone for the game. Williams scored several rushing touchdowns in the first game of his career, outscoring the Broncos with 88 yards rushing and 6.3 yards per carry. Nix also carried the ball 10 times for 75 yards, an average of 7.5 yards per carry. New Orleans, meanwhile, managed less than 100 yards on the ground.

Although the Broncos weren't perfect offensively, they used their ground game to gain the lead in Thursday's win. Due in part to their running game, the Broncos maintained a time advantage and built a lead that was too drastic for the Saints to overcome.