QBs Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson deliver strong performances as Broncos end preseason with win

DENVER — There’s never a bad time to win.

The Broncos did so convincingly on Sunday, as they closed the preseason with a 38-12 win over the Cardinals to wrap up an undefeated preseason.

“I said to [the team] afterwards, ‘Don’t ever get tired of how it feels to win,'” Head Coach Sean Payton said. “Granted, we’re substituting groups and we’re needing to get groups evaluated, and yet we still want to win. I felt the energy. … That part of it’s encouraging.”

Punctuated by a 94-yard pick-six by undrafted rookie Levelle Bailey, the Broncos never trailed in their win over the Cardinals.

“I liked the energy again,” Payton said. “I thought even the guys that were not necessarily playing were into the game. That is encouraging. You can pick any number, and it is going to kind of give you the stat line. When you score on defense, you are going to have some success. I think we had two takeaways, and we protected the ball. So, overall, I was pleased with how we finished this preseason. We will get a lot of film look on some guys, and then we begin that process the next two days relative to the roster.”

Quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson were among the players who impressed Payton with their performances.

“Both those guys looked good,” Payton said.

Stidham got the start and played just one series, as he led Denver on a 10-play, 55-yard touchdown drive. The defining play came on fourth-and-2 from the Arizona 32-yard line, as Stidham found rookie Devaughn Vele in the middle of the field for a 14-yard completion that moved the chains. Running back Audric Estime, who totaled 32 scrimmage yards on the drive, plunged in from three yards out for the opening touchdown.

“I knew coming into it, if I went down and scored on the first drive I’d probably be done,” Stidham said. “Really proud of the guys putting it in there after the [Cardinals’] missed field goal. It was great.”