Barron’s 97-Yard Pick-Six Highlights Broncos’ Dominant Preseason Win Over Falcons

ATLANTA — The Denver Broncos opened their preseason with an impressive performance Friday night, using a strong defensive effort and efficient quarterback play to cruise past the Atlanta Falcons, 27-7. One of the biggest moments of the night came from Denver defensive back Jahdae Barron, who turned an Atlanta mistake into six points with a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown. The play helped the Broncos take control early and was part of a dominant first half that ended with Denver leading 24-0. Atlanta quarterback Cooper Rush was under pressure during his time on the field and finished with two interceptions. Barron’s pick-six came after linebacker Karene Reid got a hand on a pass intended for Chris Blair, allowing Barron to secure the deflection and take it nearly the length of the field. Denver also received a solid performance from quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who started with Bo Nix being held out of the preseason opener. Stidham completed 9 of 15 passes for 131 yards and threw a five-yard touchdown pass to running back Jaleel McLaughlin. Broncos head coach Sean Payton praised Stidham’s command of the offense, especially his ability to manage the operation and keep Denver moving. Stidham’s performance strengthened his case to remain the Broncos’ primary backup quarterback heading into the season. Sam Ehlinger took over in the second half and completed 10 of 14 passes for 67 yards. With Denver already holding a comfortable advantage, the Broncos focused on protecting the lead and evaluating the rest of the roster. The Falcons had a much more difficult night offensively. Tua Tagovailoa started at quarterback and completed 3 of 5 passes for 22 yards across two series. His limited action came as Atlanta continues to wait for Michael Penix Jr. to be cleared for team drills following surgery on his left knee. Atlanta also kept two of its biggest offensive weapons on the sideline. Running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London dressed for the game but did not play. The Falcons finally reached the end zone late in the third quarter after a McLaughlin fumble gave Atlanta favorable field position. Undrafted rookie quarterback Jack Strand finished the opportunity with a one-yard quarterback sneak, cutting into Denver’s lead.

For Strand, the touchdown provided a memorable moment in his first NFL preseason action. Penix and Tagovailoa also made sure the rookie received the football from his first professional touchdown. The loss marked a difficult debut for Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, whose offense finished with only 192 total yards. Stefanski acknowledged after the game that Atlanta had several areas that needed improvement, particularly when it came to consistently moving the football. Atlanta’s defense is also facing questions ahead of the regular season. Second-year edge rusher James Pearce Jr. appeared as a backup and recorded two tackles only hours after the NFL announced that he would be suspended without pay for the first eight games of the regular season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Pearce’s absence will be significant for a Falcons pass rush already dealing with the season-ending loss of Jalon Walker to a torn ACL. Pearce recorded 10.5 sacks as a rookie, while Walker contributed 5.5 sacks. For Denver, the preseason opener also marked the debut of first-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb. Payton described Webb’s first game handling the offense as a smooth performance and said the young coordinator was on point throughout the night. The Broncos did leave Atlanta with an injury concern. Linebacker Levelle Bailey was carted off the field with an ankle injury and was initially listed as questionable.

Despite that setback, Denver’s opening performance gave the team plenty of positives to build on. The Broncos produced points on offense, created turnovers on defense and controlled the game before halftime. The next preseason matchup will bring additional attention to the quarterback position. Nix, who sat out against Atlanta, is expected to make his preseason debut when Denver hosts the Green Bay Packers next Friday. Atlanta will turn its attention to joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts before facing Indianapolis on Aug. 22.