he Denver Broncos kept their preseason momentum alive with a dominant 27-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night, powered by Jarrett Stidham’s precision and Troy Franklin’s breakout performance.

Stidham, Franklin Shine

With most starters resting after Thursday’s joint practice, Stidham took full control of Denver’s offense. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 240 yards and tossed two touchdowns to Franklin—strikes of 27 and 17 yards—before giving way to Sam Ehlinger in the second half. Ehlinger nearly matched the effort, going 14 of 16 for 162 yards.

Franklin, a rookie wideout enjoying a stellar summer, continued to establish himself as a reliable playmaker. “I think I’m just more comfortable, got a little bit more freedom to just go out there and play,” Franklin said.

Fast Start, Relentless Defense

Stidham opened with a 97-yard drive capped by rookie RB R.J. Harvey’s 8-yard touchdown run. After Arizona answered with a Jacoby Brissett TD pass, Denver seized control. Franklin’s two first-half scores pushed the lead to 24-7 before halftime.

Defensively, the Broncos smothered the Cardinals, holding them to just 2 of 13 on third downs—one week after limiting San Francisco to 1 of 12. That balance across the roster underscores the tough decisions awaiting coach Sean Payton on cut-down day. “I’d rather be in that position than the position we were in two years ago,” Payton said.

Notables & Injuries

• Tight end Evan Engram had a 58-yard catch-and-run to set up Denver’s opening score.
• Kicker Wil Lutz added a 26-yard field goal, but missed from 64 to close the half.
• Broncos G Nick Gargiulo (knee) and LB Garret Wallow (ankle) left with injuries. Arizona lost OL Hayden Carter to a knee injury.
• Payton gave QBs coach Davis Webb a game ball after successfully handling play-calling duties.
• The team honored former WR Lionel Taylor and late AP writer Dennis Georgatos with pregame tributes.

What’s Next

Broncos: Travel to New Orleans for a matchup with Payton’s former team.