Denver built a commanding lead in the first half and never looked back, finishing 27-7 over Atlanta in a Week 1 preseason game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Prentice opened the scoring with a 1-yard rush in the first quarter, and the Broncos extended to 17-0 in the second when Stidham found McLaughlin on a 5-yard pass. The decisive moment came at the 1:28 mark of the second quarter: Barron returned an interception 97 yards for a touchdown, pushing Denver to 24-0 at the half. Strand scored Atlanta's only points on a 1-yard rush in the third quarter, and Lutz capped the Denver total with a 46-yard field goal in the fourth.

With no standings or bracket on the line, the result carries weight mainly as a preseason indicator. Denver's offense moved efficiently under Stidham, who finished 9-of-15 for 131 yards and a touchdown, while Sutton added 60 receiving yards. Atlanta managed just seven points, all coming after the game was effectively decided. Lutz converted both of his field-goal attempts, from 43 and 46 yards, giving Denver's kicking game a clean evening.

Barron's 97-yard interception return was the single most impactful play of the night, turning a 17-0 game into a 24-0 halftime deficit and effectively closing out any Atlanta path back into the contest.