Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
0-0
15
FINAL
21
Denver
Broncos
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a thrilling opening matchup of the 2028 season, the Denver Broncos held off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a final score of 21-15. Both teams were eager to start the year on a high note, but it was the Broncos who emerged victorious, showcasing their determination right from the kickoff.
On the offensive side, Jayden Daniels led the Buccaneers with 209 passing yards, while Emeka Egbuka shined as the top receiver, racking up 103 yards through the air. Kewan Lacy contributed on the ground with a solid 74 rushing yards, but it was Anthony Richardson Sr. of the Broncos who secured the game with a crucial touchdown pass.
Defensively, the Broncos stepped up when it mattered most, with Jack Jones leading the team in tackles with three. Devon Witherspoon added a pivotal sack, while Xavier Phillips came away with an interception that shifted momentum in the Broncos’ favor. The turning point came late in the fourth quarter when Phillips intercepted a pass, effectively sealing the game for Denver and highlighting their defensive prowess.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayden Daniels | QB | 26 | 15 | 58% | 209 | 0 | 3 | 44.0 |
| Brendan Sorsby | QB | 30 | 15 | 50% | 204 | 1 | 2 | 55.4 |
| Anthony Richardson Sr | QB | 11 | 8 | 73% | 90 | 1 | 0 | 127.0 |
| Bryce Bryan | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kewan Lacy | HB | 18 | 74 | 4.1 | 27 | 1 | 17 | 0 |
| RJ Harvey | HB | 5 | 30 | 6.0 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Jayden Daniels | QB | 4 | 16 | 4.0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Trey'Dez Green | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | 6 | 103 | 17.2 | 12 | 1 | 30 | 1 |
| Trey'Dez Green | TE | 6 | 79 | 13.2 | 18 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Brian Thomas Jr | WR | 3 | 41 | 13.7 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 0 |
| Bryce Bryan | WR | 3 | 38 | 12.7 | 37 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| Ted Hurst III | WR | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Kewan Lacy | HB | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | — | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Troy Franklin | WR | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 0 |
| Antonio Williams | WR | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Chigoziem Okonkwo | TE | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Phillips | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Nate Wiggins | CB | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Devon Witherspoon | CB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jack Jones | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jahdae Barron | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Matayo Uiagalelei | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Emmanuel McNeil-Warren | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thomas Harper | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leo Chenal | SAM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Koi Perich | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Amare Campbell | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| JJ Roberts | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dorian Strong | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Max Goddard | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tyler Onyedim | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Antoine Winfield Jr | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Vita Vea | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josiah Trotter | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sal Castillo | WILL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Collins | K | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Jeremy Crawshaw | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chase McLaughlin | K | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

