The Denver Broncos wrapped up Day 13 of training camp on Wednesday on a day where the offense emphasized third down, and the defense emphasized pressure. How did the results turn out when those two collided?

Denver Broncos defense gets best of offense in third down team period

Pressure is paramount in today’s NFL, and the Broncos are hoping to generate a lot of that this upcoming season against opposing offenses. For Denver’s offense, they needed to see pressure because it will help them prepare for whatever looks opposing defenses throw their way.

Wednesday’s practice was much better, according to head coach Sean Payton, but nearly every offensive unit in one specific third down period struggled against the defense.

“I thought our tempo was better,” Payton said. “I think our focus was a little better too. I felt we hit a little bit of a mental wall yesterday, and I think we were better today just fighting through that.”

It was Bo Nix getting reps with the first-team offense, which makes it six practices out of the last nine where he’s gotten the first looks, for those who are keeping count.

He and the first-team offense took on Denver’s first-team defense. From the onset, Jonathon Cooper was tenacious and single-handedly wrecked the period for the offense. Earlier in practice, Nix faked out Cooper hard on a play-action look which led to a big catch and run from rookie Devaughn Vele in the previous team period. Cooper must have taken that personally because he was on fire from the first snap.

He exploded off the left side on a stunt that collapsed the pocket around Nix, giving him no room to step up, leading to a sack. On the very next play, Cooper got around the edge once again, forcing Nix to roll to his left, but the high motor on the outside linebacker saw him chase Nix down from the backside to wreck the play.

“He’s physical,” Payton said of Cooper. “We felt like certainly he’s one of our starting edge players that brings a physicality to how he plays. I think just the added reps and experience from last year will help him. He’s someone the players look up to.”

Things didn’t go well either for Jarrett Stidham and the second-team offense. Pressure led to Stidham’s first pass falling incomplete on a throwaway, then on third-and-8, undrafted rookie linebacker Levelle Bailey shot through the line of scrimmage and would have had a sack on Stidham in a real game situation.

Zach Wilson’s series with the third-team offense was just as productive. Blake Watson took a handoff to the right side of the field on third-and-2, but second-year cornerback Art Green punched the football free, leading to a recovery by Tanner McCalister. It was a win for Denver’s defense in that particular period.

Broncos offense has flashes during end-of-game period

During the team’s move-the-ball, end-of-game situational series, Denver’s offense trailed 26-20 with 51 seconds left on the opponent’s 37-yard line, needing a score to win.

Nix and the Broncos’ offense got off to a solid start, with the rookie QB connecting with Lil’Jordan Humphrey for a nine-yard gain, followed by a quick connection to Jaleel McLaughlin out of the backfield. He then connected on a 15-yard pass to Lucas Krull that gave Denver good field positioning with 11 seconds left. Nix attempted to connect with Courtland Sutton, but the pass fell incomplete off the hands of his hands. With five seconds on the clock, Nix fired a strike intended for Humphrey in the end zone, but Ja’Quan McMillian played it perfectly, getting into Humphrey’s hip pocket and bringing his ball-side hand across to force an incompletion.

Stidham’s series saw him open things up with a 21-yard strike to the rookie Vele, who continues to make plays. His next pass attempt fell incomplete near the sideline. With 28 seconds left, Stidham connected on a pass with Blake Watson out of the backfield, but it resulted in a four-yard loss. Twenty-five seconds remained on a third-and-13 situation, with Stidham uncorking a pass deep right intended for Vele, but it was broken up nicely by fellow rookie cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine. On fourth-and-13, Stidham went to the hot hand once again, targeting Vele in the end zone but it fell incomplete — but there was a flag on the play for defensive pass interference. With another shot, Stidham went to pass once again, but his throw was tipped into the air and intercepted by undrafted linebacker Levelle Bailey, who has turned in an impressive camp.

The only touchdown of this period came from Zach Wilson, who connected on passes to Hunter Kampmoyer, Troy Franklin, and to Franklin again for a 23-yard touchdown. Several defensive players signaled that he was forced out of bounds and that the pass was incomplete, but Payton called practice after that play.

Now the Denver Broncos ramp things up and will begin to shift their focus to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.