Two cheers, two boos after the Broncos’ 27-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Friday:

Cheers…

… to the Broncos for punching the gas on a Super Bowl hype train that’s unique to Colorado. With Bo Nix sitting out the preseason opener because nobody’s got time for another freak injury, the Broncos’ starters who did play treated the exhibition like it mattered. Highlight-reel plays? Check — on Courtland Sutton’s one-handed catch. Breakout players? Check — with Pat Bryant, the top playmaker in training camp. Defense? Check — Riley Moss and Jahdae Barron had interceptions. But you know what’s strange? Only eight months later, the reigning AFC runner-up is still considered a relative long shot to win the AFC this time around. Seven teams in the AFC entered Friday with shorter betting odds to reach Super Bowl LXI. Seven!  

Boo…

… the vanishing act of NFL rivalries. It’s a business decision, because it’s good business for millionaire athletes to maintain upstanding relationships with potential future employers. But don’t tell Sean Payton rivalries are dead. He thrives on a good grudge. His days as the Saints boss resulted in a 21-9 record against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. (He kept up the grudge with a 3-0 against the NFC South during the 2024 season with the Broncos.) And during a halftime interview with NBC’s Cynthia Frelund, Payton got in a quality shot when he glanced around Atlanta’s ghost town and said, “A lot of people dressed up as empty seats today.” The good news? The Sean Payton-Jim Harbaugh rivalry has been a healthy addition to the AFC West.

Cheers…

… to Jonah Coleman, a Broncos rookie who eases concerns over J.K. Dobbins’ next injury. Does anyone else see Javonte Williams before the knee injury? When the Broncos drafted Williams in 2021, he measured 5-foot-9, 212 pounds. When the Broncos drafted Coleman in April, he measured 5-foot-8, 220 pounds. I still believe Williams had star potential before the injury struck. Time will tell if Coleman can earn carries in a backfield that’s been beefed up. But Coleman’s training camp so far suggests general manager George Paton and his band of scouts stole a gem in the fourth round of the draft. Coleman finished with 24 yards on four carries. Training camps are full of flashes in the pan. The Washington product looks like he’ll stick.

Boo…

… ticket prices of NFL preseason games. Mercedes-Benz Stadium looked about 50% empty on the NBC broadcast. The Denver Gazette’s Mark Kiszla reported from the press box it was more like 65% empty for Atlanta’s first look of the season at the Falcons. Yes, the Atlanta Braves were playing at home with their 73-48 record and World Series aspirations. But there must be a way to fill those seats with some kids who couldn’t care less if it’s a Super Bowl or a preseason game. The Falcons themselves did nothing to validate the $70 required to sit in the lower bowl. Fumbled quarterback snaps. False starts. Two turnovers in the first half. The home team faced a 24-0 deficit at halftime. On second thought, the Braves game was a better idea.

—Paul Klee, The Denver Gazette