The Denver Broncos took care of business by beating the Arizona Cardinals 30-16, a team now at 2-5 and viewed as one of the worst in the NFL this year as they undergo a rebuild.
The Broncos were expected to win, and they did, with great play on both sides of the ball, but they still had concerning moments they need to correct before the Kansas City Chiefs arrive next Sunday for a rematch.
This week, the Broncos' player grades are mostly positive, but it's a one-game sample size. Some of these performances, even a few of the good ones, will need to be even better next week.
This game could be a springboard for greater consistency, especially on offense. That said, let’s get into the grades.
Defensive MVP: Justin Strnad | LB | Grade: 80.7
Both Broncos linebackers were all over the field against the Cardinals. Strnad didn’t have as productive a game in the box score, but he played well in coverage, rallied to the ball when he allowed a catch, and played well against the run, finishing with six tackles.
Offensive MVP: Jonah Coleman | RB | Grade: 77.6
It's time for the Broncos to turn to Coleman fully, and not just because of what he did in this game, but also because of the play and attitude of J.K. Dobbins. In his first game back from injured reserve, Coleman ended the day with 11 total touches for 69 yards — nine for 54 rushing and two for 15 receiving — and was trusted late in the game to run out the clock.
Quarterback: Bo Nix | Grade: 55.6
Nix's first-half performance wasn't great, especially through the air, but he flipped the script in the second half and showed he's still a threat with his legs, with a 62-yard rushing touchdown.
— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026
Nix's pocket presence still needs improvement, though. He's still bailing the pocket when there isn’t pressure, but this could be a springboard for improvement, as it was a step forward with several explosive passing plays.
The Positive
Alex Singleton | LB | Grade: 78.9
Singleton had some coverage lapses, as expected, but he wasn’t a liability and was flying around the field in the run game. He added pressure and big hits, which brought energy to the team, and finished with 19 tackles.
Dondrea Tillman | OLB | Grade: 76.4
Tillman had a great game on a limited snap count and has become an effective weapon when he sees the field. He could probably go to another team and thrive as a third rusher, but he sits as the fourth outside linebacker in Denver, but he does his job consistently whenever he hits the field.
Ja’Quan McMillian | CB | Grade: 76.3
McMillian has issues in coverage, especially against bigger matchups, but he has a nose for the ball and for generating takeaways. He didn’t have one against the Cardinals, but he got close a couple of times and stays mostly consistent in coverage. He is looking for a big extension.
RJ Harvey | RB | Grade: 74.8
Harvey is an explosive player who thrives in space, and he showed that with a big touchdown on a screen pass. There are still issues as a rusher, but the coaches just need to accept that Harvey isn’t a between-the-tackles runner and that they need to get him into space.
Quinn Meinerz | RG | Grade: 71.8
Meinerz was a mauler up front and did well in pass protection. He remains the Broncos' best offensive lineman and led the interior unit to its best game of the season.
Center Luke Wattenberg and left guard Ben Powers also played well, while the tackles, including Garett Bolles, were poor against the Cardinals.
Marvin Mims Jr. | WR | Grade: 70.1
Mims finally showed some effort on offense, even when the ball wasn’t going his way. That has been a concern with his play since 2024, and this was the first game he looked like he gave 100% on every snap he was out there. His returner inconsistencies have raised some questions, though.
The Negative
Jahdae Barron | CB | Grade: 28.1
Barron had a tough task covering Trey McBride often, but he made it easier on Arizona at times. Barron was grabby throughout the game, and the Cardinals kept going to the refs about it, which may have led to two late defensive pass interference calls against him.
Devon Key | S | Grade: 30.6
The Broncos got a good game out of Key against the Seattle Seahawks, but he struggled against the Cardinals, as did Taylor Rapp. The play of both fill-in safeties made it clear that the Broncos need Talanoa Hufanga back as soon as possible.
Mike McGlinchey | RT | Grade: 32.4
There were multiple plays where McGlinchey had to choose between two rushers and ended up blocking no one. He has always had issues in pass protection, but normally made up for it as a run blocker. That didn’t happen in this game, and it isn't happening this season.
Troy Franklin | WR | Grade: 40.5
Weirdly, Franklin's blocking kept his grade from being even worse. As a receiver, both his routes and after the catch, he was, to be blunt, lazy. He didn’t put in the effort to get the ball, and yes, he was dealing with contact, but not enough to keep him from giving more effort to the catch, as shown on the botched flea-flicker at the end of the first half.
Adam Trautman | TE | Grade: 42.3
Trautman's best play came on Nix’s touchdown run, where he really sold the route and pass to keep his defender in coverage with his back to the ball as the quarterback streaked downfield. Were it not for Trautman, it probably wouldn't have been a touchdown. Suffice it to say, his best block in this game came without actually blocking a defender.
D.J. Jones | NT | Grade: 45.6
Jones played well overall, but a handful of plays hurt his grade. Without these five snaps, Jones's grade would have been 60.3. His struggles against double teams are a consistent issue, but the Cardinals didn’t put him in that position often.
Add us as a preferred source on Google