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ILB Alex Singleton

Denver’s tackling machine wasted no time making his presence felt, stopping Josh Jacobs three times on the opening drive alone for gains of one, two and zero. He finished with eight tackles, a pressure on Jimmy Garoppolo and the pass deflection that led to Kareem Jackson’s interception. The Broncos signed him to a three-year deal in the offseason for a reason.

QB Russell Wilson

The quarterback played well overall and, notably, executed consistently within the structure of plays. He got the ball out quickly for the most part, wasn’t too quick to bail from the pocket and delivered the ball where it was supposed to go. When he broke the pocket, he did so with a plan. There’s still plenty to improve upon — a low throw to Courtland Sutton on Denver’s fourth-quarter three-and-out was a bad time for a bad ball — but a promising first step in 2023 for Wilson.

RB Javonte Williams

The numbers aren’t going to blow anybody away — 17 touches for 57 yards — but Williams was solid in his return to action 11 months after knee surgery. He continued his tough-running ways and rarely gets knocked backward. An under-appreciated part of his game: pass protection. That will serve Wilson and Denver well this fall. He obliterated a couple of blitzing linebackers and is consistently stout in that department.

CB Pat Surtain II

The All-Pro picked up right where he left off to begin his third season. Raiders star receiver Davante Adams caught a quick slant on him on the first play of the game and didn’t do much after that. NFL Next Gen Stats had Surtain giving up two catches for 11 yards to Adams as the nearest defender. Surtain had three break-ups and eventually Las Vegas essentially just stopped targeting him.

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Fear factor

With wide receiver Jerry Jeudy sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Broncos’ lack of explosiveness on offense really showed. Especially once tight end Greg Dulcich dropped out late in the first half with an apparent hamstring injury. Denver just doesn’t have many guys who are going to keep opposing coordinators up at night. Rookie receiver Marvin Mims Jr. might get there, but he and fellow rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin played relatively small roles in Week 1. Wilson really only went down the field twice — to Courtland Sutton once (he drew pass interference) and to Brandon Johnson for 21 yards early in the game.

K Wil Lutz

Payton churned through kickers through the offseason, cutting Brandon McManus and Brett Maher with a waiver of Elliott Fry in between. The Broncos traded for Wil Lutz on roster cutdown day and Lutz missed an extra point and a 55-yard field goal — both pushed right — in his first outing at Empower Field. Payton said after the game he’s confident Lutz will rebound. He clearly trusts the former New Orleans kicker. But in a league full of close games, Lutz needs to bounce back quickly.

Pass-rush

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph knew Jimmy Garoppolo would get the ball out quickly, but the Broncos still didn’t make him uncomfortable often enough. They managed just three hits on Garoppolo and did not sack him. Once when Essang Bassey came free on a slot pressure, he hesitated a little too long as he got to the backfield, then drew a roughing-the-passer penalty. A six-man pressure on third-and-7 went awry with 1:53 to play when Garoppolo stepped up past Singleton and Josey Jewell and scampered for a put-away first down. Ouch.

CB Damarri Mathis

A rough start to Year 2 for Mathis, the talented corner out of Pitt. He’s going to be targeted a lot playing opposite Surtain and on Sunday the Raiders picked on him. Not just with Davante Adams, either, but with No. 2 man Jakobi Meyers, who finished with nine catches for 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Coverage and rush work together, and Mathis wasn’t always solely at fault. All the same, he’ll have to play better going forward in order for the Broncos to benefit maximally from Surtain’s all-world ability.

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