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Sep 14, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) reacts after a missed field goal by Indianapolis Colts place kicker Spencer Shrader (3) at Lucas Oil Stadium. INDIANAPOLIS STAR-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Broncos Player Grades from Heartbreaking Loss to Colts

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Erick Trickel | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 10:15 PM ET

The Denver Broncos have only won once since 2004 at Lucas Oil Stadium, and that trend continues after the Indianapolis Colts hit a field goal with no time remaining. The Colts missed initially, but a penalty on Denver gave the opponent 15 yards and a second chance, and that was enough for them to start 2-0 and drop the Broncos to 1-1.

This game saw a nearly complete flip from their first game, where the Broncos' offense struggled and the defense did well. Instead, the defense had almost no success, while the offense did enough to put 28 points on the board. The Broncos' defense couldn’t get stops throughout the game, let alone when it needed them the most.

All in all, there were some terrible performances from Broncos on both sides of the ball, though the offense had some admirable showings, despite the team falling short. That is reflected in these grades, which aim to break the game down on a more individual level.

As always, every player with at least 20 snaps is eligible for a grade, which starts at 50 and can rise or fall based on their performance for each snap. The extent to which the grade rises or falls depends on the technique and the player's impact on each snap.

Let's get into them.

Offensive MVP: Troy Franklin | WR | Grade: 74.3

Through two games, Franklin is proving all the offseason hype to be legitimate and has been the Broncos' top receiver so far. He leads the team with 15 targets, catching 12 for 133 yards, while Courtland Sutton has seven catches on 13 targets for 67 yards.

Against the Colts, Franklin showed critical improvements in every aspect of his game and is quickly proving himself to be a threat with the ball in his hands. It's still early, but the early signs are auspicious.

Defensive MVP: Deondrea Tillman | OLB | Grade: 65.5

Tillman is going to get a lot of flak for his penalty that gave the Colts a second try at the game-winning field goal. However, it's worth noting that special teams or penalties are factored into grades, and in all of his time on the field goal block unit, he never lined up where he did for that kick.

As for his defensive play, which is what gets graded, Tillman stood out with some quick pressures and added two stops. He also did well when setting a tough edge against the run, which is good to see after a rough preseason in that area.

Quarterback: Bo Nix | Grade: 53.1

There is no denying this was a better game for Nix than his three-turnover season opener, but it still wasn’t a good game, not exactly. He still showed some serious issues with his ball placement and composure in the pocket, and made some questionable decisions.

However, those issues weren’t as prevalent as they were in the season opener.

The Positive

Garett Bolles | OT | Grade: 71.6

The Broncos' left tackle has had a great start to the season with his play. He's been a reliable and consistent blindside protector for Nix.

Things aren’t perfect, they never are when it comes to the NFL, but of the Broncos' big money spent to extend players, Bolles has proven his worth and then some.

Marvin Mims Jr. | WR | Grade: 68.4

There are improvements to Mims’ game, around his route running, but he still isn’t quite what you want. He is finding ways to have an impact outside of being a gadget, though that is still the best way to utilize his skill set.

Ben Powers | OG | Grade: 66.9

There is a lot of vitriol for Powers' play among the fans, but through two games, he has been the Broncos' best interior lineman and the most consistent, and the second-best on the O-line behind only Bolles.

Powers' game against the Colts was a great one, though not perfect. He did a great job pulling and generating movement as a run blocker, while holding up in pass protection.

Zach Allen | IDL | Grade: 64.7

Watching live, Allen didn’t seem to have as good a game, but when studying the All-22 angle, he was far more impactful. He was setting a strong wall at the point of attack and excelling as a pass rusher, but it takes a team and the pieces around him to let Allen down.

Jonah Elliss | OLB | Grade: 63.2

Elliss is one of the most improved players from last year to this season. When looking at defenders to step up, he has done that through the two weeks. There is still a lot of room to grow, but he is quickly developing into a great all-around player.

Justin Strnad | ILB | Grade: 58.9

Through two games, Strnad has been playing some great football in place of Greenlaw. There are still issues in coverage that teams can exploit, but his play has been significantly better than his counterpart, and he hasn’t been as big a liability in coverage.

The Negative

Patrick Surtain II | CB | Grade: 40.1

This was a game to forget for Surtain, and arguably one of the worst of his career. The Colts picked on Surtain like he was an undrafted rookie starting his first game, and consistently looked his way on third down to move the chains. With seven catches allowed, five of them were for first downs.

John Franklin-Myers | DL | Grade: 41.3

While Franklin-Myers is looking for a new contract, his play hasn’t been at a level that warrants a big extension. He has struggled to be a reliable pass rusher and has been consistently blown away as a run defender.

Alex Singleton | ILB | Grade: 43.4

Singleton has been an issue for the defense through two games, and his problems on the field were highlighted and targeted by the Colts with great success. If he doesn’t improve, the Broncos may need to make a switch and keep Strnad on the field when Dre Greenlaw is back.

Evan Engram | TE | Grade: 46.8

The Broncos brought in Engram to boost their offense, but through two games, that hasn’t translated yet. After suffering a calf injury in the first game, it seemed that it was still an issue for Engram against the Colts.

Trent Sherfield | WR | Grade: 47.4

While Sherfield does a good job on special teams, he has struggled making an impact on offense. He had one catch for three yards, which was his lone target, but blocking is his primary role on offense, and he has struggled there.

Luke Wattenberg | C | Grade: 48.8

At some point, the Broncos may want to start discussing a change at center, especially if they want to continue to grow their run game or find consistency. Wattenberg excels in pass blocking, but his issues as a run blocker are too significant to overlook.

Other Noteworthy Grades

J.K. Dobbins | RB | Grade: 63.6

It was a rough Week 1 for Dobbins, but he bounced back in a big way against the Colts. While there is still a lack of burst from him, he did well getting north and south and picking up yards in chunks and helping the Broncos move the ball on the ground.

Quinn Meinerz | OG | Grade: 54.7

Meinerz has not had the start to the season that fans or the Broncos were expecting. He struggled against the Tennessee Titans, and that continued against the Colts. Both were tough matchups, but he will have more tough matchups coming his way.

Nik Bonitto | OLB | Grade: 47.4

The Broncos paid Bonitto big money due to his impact as a pass rusher, and he showed that with five pressures against the Colts. However, his play as a run defender is still severely lacking, and the Colts were able to take advantage of that.

Jonathon Cooper | OLB | Grade: 46.4

The Broncos' pair of pass rushers turned in a rough game, with Cooper having a minimal impact as a pass rusher and run defender. This was a tough matchup with the offensive line, but Denver paid Cooper to step up in moments like this.