The Seattle Seahawks suffered a couple setbacks in their 26-20 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

With just under four minutes left in the first quarter, right tackle George Fant went down with an apparent injury to his right knee. It’s not clear what the injury is, but he had to be helped off the field. He was seen testing his knee after leaving the medical tent to see if he’d be able to return. Whether the decision was his or not, he was ruled out for the remainder of the game shortly after.

Mike Macdonald didn’t have any information during his post-game press conference, and as of Monday afternoon, there wasn’t any real update, but he did mention they were taking it “day by day” which could be taken as an good sign that there isn’t any serious damage, but given that Fant was serving as the backup to Abraham Lucas, who will be on the injured reserve until at least week 5, there is plenty of cause for concern.

Nearing the end of a terrific performance, running back Kenneth Walker III, walked off the field in the 4th quarter, gesturing to his side/waist and wouldn’t return to the game. The injury was officially listed as an abdominal injury, but no further details were known after the game. Walker did mention in his press conference that he was fine, but there’s no doubt the Seahawks want to play it safe with him until they get more information. Walker is also considered “day by day” according to Macdonald.

K9 ended the season opener with 103 yards on 20 carries including a 23 yard run (and 4 yard superman dive) for a touchdown. He also connected with Geno Smith for a 6 yard touchdown pass on the following possession, but the play would be nullified by a holding penalty on DK Metcalf.

We’re still working hard to decipher what coach means when he says “day by day”, but at this time, it seems less worrisome than when Pete Carroll would say “legit.” Hoping to have both George Fant and Kenneth Walker III available for this Sunday’s outing against the New England Patriots.

The Denver Broncos opened their season with a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. While the outcome was disappointing, it may have provided a telling glimpse into what Broncos fans can expect from the year ahead.

Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix’s debut was a non-stop “Welcome to the NFL” moment, as he struggled against a relentless Seahawks defense. But there were bright spots amid the growing pains.

Let’s examine those bright spots as we dive into the Broncos’ biggest studs and duds from this Week 1 matchup.

Jonathon Cooper | OLB

Cooper was an absolute menace on the edge, recording two sacks and three quarterback hits. His relentless pressure kept Geno Smith uncomfortable for much of the game, giving the Broncos a fighting chance on defense.

Alex Singleton | LB

Singleton was everywhere, leading the defense with 12 tackles and grabbing a key interception. His efforts drove Denver’s defense, especially in stopping the Seahawks’ run game in the first half.

Wil Lutz | K

In a game where the offense faltered, Lutz was perfect, converting all three field goals, including a clutch 45-yarder. His consistency provided a silver lining in an otherwise frustrating offensive day.

Marvin Mims Jr. | WR/PR/KR

Mims showcased his potential as a dynamic returner, averaging 9.4 yards per punt return with a long 18. His ability to flip field position could be a valuable weapon as the season progresses.

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Bo Nix | QB

While Nix might deserve to be on the studs list for his rushing touchdown and mobility, he also landed with the duds due to his two costly interceptions and subpar passing performance. His struggles to move the ball downfield (5.3 yards per attempt) and misreads in crucial moments hampered the offense’s flow and gave the Seahawks opportunities to capitalize.

Javonte Williams | RB

Williams had an off day, managing only 23 yards on eight carries for an average of 2.9 yards per attempt. He failed to find rhythm in the ground game, and his longest run of the day was just nine yards, putting extra pressure on Nix and the passing attack.

Jaleel McLaughlin | RB

McLaughlin had a frustrating day, with 10 carries for only 27 yards, averaging 2.7 yards per carry, and losing a fumble. His ball security issues stalled a critical drive, and his inability to break off significant gains left the Broncos offense stalling repeatedly.

Greg Dulcich | TE

Dulcich was expected to be a security blanket for the rookie quarterback but managed just two catches for 12 yards. His inability to get open in critical situations left Nix scrambling for options, limiting Denver’s ability to sustain drives.

Courtland Sutton | WR

Usually a reliable target, Sutton struggled to make a meaningful impact, hauling four receptions for just 38 yards. His longest catch went for only 17 yards, and Sutton failed to generate any explosive plays, further constricting the Broncos’ inconsistent offense.

Pat Surtain II | CB

After signing a well-deserved massive contract, Surtain wasn’t his usual shutdown self, giving up critical completions in crucial moments. He posted six tackles (four solo), but only defended one pass and was penalized.

This season, rookie struggles will be a theme for Nix, but the Broncos have enough talent to weather the storm. With a strong defense and special teams, the pieces are there for eventual success.

This rough start is like medicine — bitter but necessary for future growth. Hang in there, Broncos Country; the fever will break, and the possibility of a playoff push is still within the realm of the achievable.

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Week 1 is in the books, with the Denver Broncos falling short in a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. The Broncos got great field position several times but the offense didn’t capitalize, while the defense kept them in the game in the first half but had issues in the second.

Many fans were no doubt hoping the Broncos could prove critics wrong from the start, but rookie quarterback Bo Nix showed he has a long way to go with his play and establishing a rapport with his receivers. Also, the Broncos may have lost a key offensive player for at least a few games, with left tackle Garett Bolles exiting the game early with a lower-leg injury.

The Broncos defense did some good things early on but could not keep the pace up in the second half. Denver’s special teams did its job well throughout.

But Week 1 is not the indicator of how things will go for a team the entire season. It’s why football analyst Aaron Schatz calls Week 1 the ‘National Jump to Conclusions Week.’ The single-game sample isn’t enough to reliably judge a team.

We saw this to some degree last season when the Broncos stumbled out of the gates in Week 1 in a close loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Denver then got humiliated by the Miami Dolphins in a historic Week 3 loss. But fortunes turned for the Broncos later on, and they finished 8-9 despite many flaws on the team.

There are going to be growing pains with this team, but that doesn’t mean everything that happened in Seattle will predict what the season will be like. There may be one or two things that are cause for concern, but the key is to see how the Broncos improve throughout the season and continue to do well in the areas in which they did execute.

Here are four things to consider about the Broncos’ Week 1 loss and whether fans should be so quick to jump to conclusions.

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There’s no way to sugarcoat it: Nix had a bad regular-season debut. He stared down receivers, his mechanics were a mess, and he tried to force plays.

It’s easy to think after one game that all the pundits who predicted Nix would be a bust are correct. It’s easy to believe that a rookie QB needs to look like CJ Stroud right off the bat to have a future in this league.

However, that’s not always the case. Nix struggled but he did make a few good throws. He has shown he can escape the pocket and either extend the play or gain yards on the ground.

What Nix needs to learn is how to go through his reads at a quicker pace. That will only come with time on task. The question is whether he will figure that out. If he does, he can become a good starting QB, but if not, he won’t have a future with the Broncos.

With that said, it’s just one game. What matters is how Nix grows and learns from this game.

Verdict: Don’t jump to conclusions yet.

The Broncos defense got off to a hot start, pressuring Geno Smith early and forcing an early interception after D.J. Jones hit him as he threw. The Broncos also notched two safeties, one after a pressure led to a holding call in the end zone and another after defensive end Zach Allen tackled Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III in the end zone.

However, the Broncos offense wasn’t able to convert the interception into a touchdown. Neither did the offense score six after a muffed Seahawks punt that the Broncos recovered. That made it a closer game at halftime.

And in the second half, the Seahawks made adjustments on offense and got the ball moving more often. The Seahawks capitalized on Broncos’ defensive mistakes and got two big plays that resulted in touchdowns.

It’s easy to blame the defense here, but while the Broncos had their issues, we knew going in that it’s not a defense that can carry the team. The Broncos defense has the potential to be good, but it won’t be an elite unit.

The Broncos defense will face some better offenses later in the season but that doesn’t mean all is lost. The talent is there for a defense that can keep the Broncos in games. Getting the offense to capitalize when the defense gift-wraps an opportunity will help.

Verdict: Don’t jump to conclusions yet.

For years, it seemed like the Broncos couldn’t get things together on special teams. But the Week 1 game saw plenty of things to like about the unit.

The Broncos were able to recover a muffed punt, and they downed a punt just inches from the goal line. The Seahawks didn’t get a big return on most plays.

Marvin Mims Jr. didn’t get much done in the return game, but he was good in making decisions about when to return the kickoff under the new rules. Perhaps the Pro Bowler can break off a longer return at some point.

While special teams may not be the unit that often decides a game, the battle of field position is important and the third phase plays a big factor. I’m optimistic that we’ll continue to get quality special teams play this season, especially based on the vast improvements the Broncos achieved in this area last year.

Verdict: There is reason for optimism.

The Broncos entered the Week 1 with nobody on the injury report. But during the game, they lost Bolles to an ankle injury.

The Broncos were fortunate last year to not have too many injuries on the offensive line and keep continuity throughout the season. Unfortunately, it took just one game before Denver seems to have lost a key player.

Matt Peart stepped in to relieve Bolles and was okay but he’s not as good as the starter. Losing a key starter up front is a definite cause for concern, especially if Bolles misses a lot of time.

For now, let’s hope that Bolles’ injury isn’t too serious. He has played through minor injuries before, but if this one is more significant and costs him a lot of games, he’ll be difficult to replace.

Verdict: There is cause for concern.

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