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NFL Preseason Week 2 Game Recap: Denver Broncos 27, Arizona Cardinals 7
By
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Arizona Cardinals
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Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos sprinted at a breakneck pace, while the Arizona Cardinals merely jogged.
Denver went 97 yards in just over 2 minutes on the team’s first offensive drive, opening the scoring in a first-half offensive downpour. The Cardinals responded with a 7-minute touchdown series, but it turned out to be far too little to match the Broncos’ high-flying offense.
Jarrett Stidham and company also engineered a sub-2-minute, 88-yard touchdown drive later in the half via chunk gains from Troy Franklin and a defensive pass interference penalty. In the end, Denver prevailed by a 27-7 score and racked up 15 plays of 15 or more yards to Arizona’s two.
PFF’s dedicated team of graders was hard at work, analyzing every player on every play in real time. The comprehensive grades and data will be available after a thorough review tomorrow at 12 p.m. EST.
In the meantime, we’ve gathered some high-level data and snap counts from the game to give you an early look. Our expert graders have also nominated the standout player of the game, highlighting exceptional performance on the field.
Use the discount code earlybird to save $20 on your PFF+ subscription, and get in-depth analysis, PFF grades, Premium Stats, fantasy football tools, betting dashboards and much more!
PLAYER OF THE GAME
Several Broncos defenders deserve plaudits for their work. Levelle Bailey, a 2024 undrafted free agent, surrendered just nine yards in coverage across 20 such snaps and four targets. He also assisted on a tackle in run defense. Karene Reid, Andrew Farmer and Jordan Turner also excelled in the Broncos’ win.
BOX SCORE
| Stat | Cardinals | Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Total points | 7 | 27 |
| Total offensive plays | 47 | 72 |
| Average EPA per play | -0.292 | 0.22 |
| Total net yards | 137 | 548 |
| Avg yards per play | 2.9 | 7.6 |
| Total first downs | 8 | 27 |
| Rushing first downs | 1 | 4 |
| Passing first downs | 5 | 19 |
| Penalty first downs | 2 | 4 |
| Third-down efficiency | 23% | 64% |
| Fourth-down efficiency | 10% | 17% |
| Possessions | 10 | 11 |
| Avg plays per drive | 5.4 | 7.2 |
| Avg yards per drive | 12.4 | 45.7 |
| Avg points per drive | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Red-zone possessions | 1 | 6 |
| Red-zone plays | 1 | 15 |
| Red-zone TDs | 1 | 2 |
| Red-zone FGs | 0 | 2 |
| Red-zone scoring efficiency | 100% | 67% |
