The Broncos were already off to a quick start when Brandon Jones made his most impactful play since joining the team. On third-and-4, Baker Mayfield looked toward Mike Evans, and Jones undercut the pass. The Denver safety then weaved his way 37 yards to the Tampa Bay 9-yard line.
Denver pushed its way to the Tampa Bay 1-yard line, and running back Jaleel McLaughlin made a tremendous individual play to score on fourth-and-goal. McLaughlin evaded a defender in the backfield and then sprinted to the pylon to put another touchdown on the board.
The 14-0 lead was the Broncos’ first time leading by 14 points in the first quarter since Week 14 of the 2021 season, and it set the tone for Denver’s win.
While the Broncos’ offense took a step forward in Week 3, the defense was able to maintain its strong level of play. Denver’s defense sacked Mayfield seven times on Sunday, and the unit held the Bucs to 132 net passing yards. On several occasions, the Broncos used a well-timed sack to thwart a Buccaneers drive and maintain their lead in the second-half.