BLUF: The Denver Broncos defeated the New Orleans Saints 28–19 in NFL Preseason Week 3 on August 23, 2025, at Caesars Superdome. Bo Nix posted a 118.2 passer rating for Denver, while the Saints' three-QB quarterback battle remained unresolved. This guide breaks down every key player stat from the game — passing, rushing, receiving, and special teams — so you get the full picture fast.
What Was the Final Score? Denver Broncos vs New Orleans Saints
The Denver Broncos won 28–19 over the New Orleans Saints in the final game of the 2025 NFL preseason. Denver finished the preseason a perfect 3–0. New Orleans ended at 0–2–1, heading into a Week 1 regular season opener against the Arizona Cardinals on September 7.
The game was played at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. It held special significance — just six days before the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Saints held a moment of silence in memory of the storm's victims before kickoff.
Quarter-by-Quarter Score Breakdown
| Quarter | Broncos (DEN) | Saints (NO) |
| Q1 | 3 | 6 |
| Q2 | 13 | 3 |
| Q3 | 6 | 0 |
| Q4 | 6 | 10 |
| Total | 28 | 19 |
New Orleans jumped out to an early 6–3 lead after the first quarter. Denver flipped the game in the second quarter with 13 unanswered points. The Saints could not recover, despite a late fourth-quarter push.
Denver Broncos Player Stats
Passing Stats — Denver Broncos
| Player | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | SACKS | RTG |
| Bo Nix #10 | 10/14 | 110 | 7.9 | 1 | 0 | 0-0 | 118.2 |
| Sam Ehlinger #4 | 22/31 | 198 | 6.4 | 1 | 1 | 3-15 | 85.1 |
| Team Total | 32/45 | 293 | 6.8 | 2 | 1 | 3-15 | 95.4 |
Bo Nix was the standout quarterback of the game. His 118.2 passer rating was the best of any QB on either side. He capped a six-play, 77-yard drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton. Sutton finished with four catches for 83 yards — easily the top receiver performance of the game.
Sam Ehlinger handled the bulk of snaps after Nix exited. He completed 22 of 31 passes for 198 yards and one late touchdown to rookie receiver Kyrese Rowan on a fourth-and-4 conversion. Head coach Sean Payton praised Ehlinger's athleticism and leadership after the final whistle.
Rushing Stats — Denver Broncos
| Player | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
| Audric Estime #23 | 8 | 45 | 5.6 | 1 | 9 |
| Sam Ehlinger #4 | 6 | 25 | 4.2 | 0 | 19 |
| Tyler Badie #28 | 4 | 14 | 3.5 | 0 | 9 |
| Blake Watson #25 | 4 | 13 | 3.3 | 0 | 5 |
| RJ Harvey #37 | 3 | 4 | 1.3 | 0 | 3 |
| Team Total | 27 | 103 | 3.8 | 1 | 19 |
Audric Estime led the Broncos ground attack with 45 yards and a touchdown on 8 carries. Denver's ground game was balanced — seven different players carried the ball. Running back Blake Watson was helped off the field late in the fourth quarter with an injury.
Receiving Stats — Denver Broncos (Key Performers)
- Courtland Sutton — 4 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD (19-yard score from Bo Nix)
- Kyrese Rowan (Rookie) — caught the late 5-yard TD from Ehlinger on 4th-and-4
- Team total receiving: 293 yards on 32 receptions
New Orleans Saints Player Stats
Passing Stats — New Orleans Saints
| Player | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | SACKS | RTG |
| Tyler Shough #6 | 12/20 | 102 | 5.1 | 0 | 0 | 1-4 | 73.3 |
| Spencer Rattler #2 | 5/8 | 43 | 5.4 | 0 | 0 | 1-4 | 76.6 |
| Jake Haener #3 | 5/9 | 37 | 4.1 | 0 | 0 | 2-12 | 65.5 |
| Team Total | 22/37 | 160 | 4.9 | 0 | 0 | 4-20 | 72.1 |
New Orleans used three quarterbacks — all competing for the Week 1 starting job. Coach Kellen Moore called the decision "challenging" and said the race was "very, very close" after the game. None of the three QBs threw a passing touchdown.
Tyler Shough played the most snaps for the Saints. He scored the team's only offensive touchdown on an 11-yard read-option run. However, he also fumbled on a sack by Denver's Que Robinson in Saints territory.
Spencer Rattler started and went 5-of-8 for 43 yards. Over three preseason games combined, Rattler was 30-of-43 for 295 yards with one TD and one INT.
Jake Haener closed out the game and was 5-of-9 for 37 yards.
Rushing Stats — New Orleans Saints
| Player | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
| Tyler Shough #6 | — | — | — | 1 | 11 (TD run) |
| Devin Neal #30 (Rookie) | 5 | 20 | 4.0 | 0 | — |
| Kendre Miller #5 | — | — | — | 0 | — |
| Cam Akers #26 | — | — | — | 0 | — |
Rookie running back Devin Neal made his preseason debut. He had five carries for 20 yards and two catches for 10 yards. It was his first game action of the preseason.
Special Teams — New Orleans Saints
The Saints' biggest bright spot was their kicking game:
- Blake Grupe hit three field goals from 56, 49, and 48 yards
- Charlie Smyth added a 52-yard field goal
- All four field goals came from beyond 47 yards — an impressive showing from both kickers
Key Game-Deciding Moments
You want to know what actually swung this game? Here are the three moments that mattered most:
- Bo Nix's 19-yard TD to Courtland Sutton — capped a clean, efficient 77-yard drive and put Denver in control
- Tyler Shough's fumble on a sack by Que Robinson — killed a Saints drive in their own territory
- Sam Ehlinger's 4th-and-4 TD pass to Kyrese Rowan — iced the game late in the fourth quarter
Denver's offense converted in critical situations. New Orleans could not do the same.
Head-to-Head History: Broncos vs Saints All-Time
The Broncos have dominated this matchup historically. Want the bigger picture?
- All-time series record: Denver Broncos lead 9–3 (regular season + postseason combined)
- Denver has won 9 of 12 meetings since the series began
- The Saints' last win in this series came in a regular season game
For more on how NFL rivalries evolve over time, check out this breakdown of how teams build competitive histories — the same patterns show up across sports.
What Did This Game Mean? QB Battle Context for New Orleans
This was the most important storyline of the game — and the reason millions searched for these stats.
New Orleans head coach Kellen Moore entered preseason Week 3 needing a clear answer at quarterback. He did not get one. Here is how the three QBs compared across all three preseason games:
| QB | Games | C/ATT (Total) | YDS | TD | INT | Rushing TD |
| Spencer Rattler | 3 | 30/43 | 295 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tyler Shough | 3 | 36/53 | 333 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Jake Haener | 3 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Shough led in yardage and added a rushing dimension. Rattler had slightly better completion percentage. Moore's decision remained unannounced as of the final preseason whistle. The Saints' Week 1 starter against the Arizona Cardinals was set to be named in the days that followed.
Denver Broncos: What the Stats Tell Us About 2025
Denver went 3–0 in the preseason. More importantly, these stats confirmed a few things:
- Bo Nix is ready. His 118.2 passer rating and clean zero-turnover performance told coaches exactly what they needed to see.
- Courtland Sutton is still the WR1. Four catches, 83 yards, and a touchdown in a preseason game is a statement.
- The run game is deeper than expected. Seven different rushers carried the ball. Denver had 103 yards on the ground as a team.
The Broncos opened their regular season on September 7 against the Tennessee Titans at home. For more on how teams use the preseason to build momentum heading into regular season matchups, see how other squads have done it.
Injuries from the Game
Two notable injuries occurred during this matchup:
- Blake Watson (DEN, RB) — treated on the field and helped off in the fourth quarter
- Landon Young (NO, OL) — carted off with a right ankle injury in the second quarter
- Shane Lemieux (NO, OL) — also reported an ankle injury, per coach Kellen Moore post-game
How Does This Game Fit the Bigger NFL Picture in 2026?
Both franchises enter the 2025–2026 NFL season with clear questions. Denver looks set with Bo Nix under center after his breakout 2024 rookie season. New Orleans is rebuilding under Kellen Moore with a brand-new quarterback competition.
This preseason game gave both fan bases something to analyze. Denver's depth is real. New Orleans' kicking game is elite. The quarterback battle in the Crescent City is the NFL's most interesting storyline heading into Week 1.
For a wider view of how sports teams handle rebuilding seasons and roster overhauls, this sports analysis covers key 2026 trends worth following.
FAQ:
Q: Who won the Denver Broncos vs New Orleans Saints preseason game in 2025?
A: The Denver Broncos won 28–19 over the New Orleans Saints in NFL Preseason Week 3 on August 23, 2025. The game was played at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Denver finished the preseason with a perfect 3–0 record. New Orleans ended at 0–2–1.
Q: What were Bo Nix's stats against the Saints in 2025 preseason?
A: Bo Nix completed 10 of 14 passes for 110 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. His passer rating was 118.2. He threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton to cap a 77-yard scoring drive. He was not sacked.
Q: How did Tyler Shough perform against the Broncos?
A: Tyler Shough completed 12 of 20 passes for 102 yards and did not throw a passing touchdown. He scored on an 11-yard read-option run. He also lost a fumble on a sack in Saints territory, which hurt New Orleans' chance of a comeback.
Q: Who was the leading receiver in the Broncos vs Saints game?
A: Courtland Sutton of the Denver Broncos was the top receiver. He caught four passes for 83 yards and one touchdown. His 19-yard score from Bo Nix came late in the first half and gave Denver a lead they would not give up.
Q: Did the Saints score any offensive touchdowns against Denver?
A: The Saints scored one offensive touchdown — a rushing score by quarterback Tyler Shough on an 11-yard read-option run. Their other 19 points came from four field goals: a 56-yarder, 49-yarder, 48-yarder (all by Blake Grupe), and a 52-yarder by Charlie Smyth.
Q: What is the all-time record between the Broncos and Saints?
A: The Denver Broncos lead the all-time series against the New Orleans Saints 9–3 across regular season and postseason games. The two teams have met 12 times in total. Denver has been the dominant side historically in this matchup.
Q: Who was the Saints starting quarterback against the Broncos?
A: Spencer Rattler started the game for New Orleans. He was 5-of-8 for 43 yards before being replaced. Tyler Shough played the bulk of the snaps. Jake Haener mopped up in the fourth quarter. No clear starter emerged from the competition.
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A: BigWriteHook publishes detailed sports game breakdowns and player stat analysis across major leagues. Articles cover NFL preseason and regular season matchups with full box score data, tactical analysis, and context-rich game recaps. Content is updated as new game data becomes available throughout the season.
References
- ESPN Box Score — Broncos 28-19 Saints, August 23, 2025: https://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore/_/gameId/401773015
- CBS Sports Game Tracker & Recap: https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/gametracker/recap/NFL_20250823_DEN@NO/
- Official Saints Game Recap — NewOrleansSaints.com: https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/2025-nfl-preseason-week-3-new-orleans-saints-denver-broncos-game-recap
- NFL.com Game Center — Broncos at Saints 2025 PRE 3: https://www.nfl.com/games/broncos-at-saints-2025-pre-3
- Pro Football Reference — All-Time Series: https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/denver-broncos/teamvsteam?opp=20
- FOX Sports Box Score: https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/preseason-week-3-denver-broncos-vs-new-orleans-saints-aug-23-2025-game-boxscore-11015
