Sam Ehlinger Leads Broncos to 34-6 Preseason Win With Three-Touchdown Performance.

DENVER — The Denver Broncos closed out the preseason in dominant fashion Friday night, cruising past the Minnesota Vikings 34-6 at Empower Field at Mile High. The biggest storyline of the night was the performance of quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who delivered three touchdown passes after taking over for Jarrett Stidham. Ehlinger finished the night 15-of-20 passing for 233 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, giving Denver's coaching staff plenty to evaluate heading into roster decisions. His biggest play came late in the game when he connected with rookie tight end Justin Joly for an explosive 88-yard touchdown.

Joly, a fifth-round selection out of North Carolina State, found himself wide open after the Vikings' deep safety appeared to pass him off in coverage. Ehlinger recognized the opportunity immediately and delivered the deep ball. Joly hauled in the pass and raced the rest of the way for the longest touchdown of the night. The rookie admitted afterward that seeing so much open field initially made him nervous, but he trusted his assignment and finished the play. Ehlinger added two more touchdown passes during his time on the field. He connected with Jaleel McLaughlin on a 20-yard touchdown just before halftime, then found running back Cody Schrader for a 14-yard score in the second half. Schrader was another standout for Denver. The third-year running back rushed for 42 yards while adding six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown. His receiving touchdown capped a 17-play, 85-yard Denver drive and pushed the Broncos' advantage to 27-6. Before Ehlinger entered the game, Stidham guided Denver to points on both of his possessions. Wil Lutz opened the scoring with a field goal before fullback Adam Prentice punched in a 1-yard touchdown run.

Denver carried a 10-0 lead before Minnesota got on the scoreboard.

The Vikings later cut into the deficit with a pair of field goals, but Denver's offense responded with 24 consecutive points to put the game away. Neither team played its starting quarterback. Broncos starter Bo Nix was among 30 Denver players who did not suit up after looking sharp in his lone preseason appearance against Green Bay the previous week. Minnesota also held out its top quarterback options. J.J. McCarthy did not play after suffering a minor ankle injury against Baltimore last week, while Kyler Murray had taken the lead in Minnesota's quarterback competition during training camp. The Broncos did have one notable injury during the game. Wide receiver and return specialist Marvin Mims Jr. left after hurting his right foot on Denver's opening drive. Head coach Sean Payton said afterward that Mims suffered a bruise and that the team was being cautious with him. Cornerback Reese Taylor also left the game with a concussion. For Minnesota, linebacker Jacobs Roberts suffered a left knee injury, while wide receiver Terrill Davis exited with a right calf injury. The Broncos finish the preseason with a 2-1 record and will now turn their attention toward the regular season. Denver opens the regular season on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 14. The Vikings, meanwhile, will host the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 13.