It was a battle of rookies to kick off the week on Thursday Night Football as the Denver Broncos and Bo Nix took on the New Orleans Saints and Spencer Rattler in just his second start of the season. Denver ultimately came away with a blowout win, but the play of the quarterbacks on both sides of the field was concerning all night long.

Newsweek Sports' expert predictions for the Thursday Night Football Week 7 opener between the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos.

On Nix’s longest run of the season, it originated from a direct snap and he sprinted around the end — the type of play you see under Friday night lights across the country. Nix is on pace to rush for 615 yards this season, leaving him within reach of Tim Tebow’s franchise record of 660 set in 2011.

Following their big win over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and rookie quarterback Bo Nix visited the Prime Video postgam

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton addresses the media after a win against the New Orleans Saints in Week 7 of the 2024 NFL regular season.

I’m not where I want to be at yet,” Broncos QB Bo Nix said. “The standard’s still very high and I’m still working to reach that.”

The first game of Week 7 has the Denver Broncos on the road against the New Orleans Saints. It is the return of Broncos head coach Sean Payton to New Orleans, where he was the head coach for 15 seasons and led them to their only championship.

Thursday Night Football returns tonight as the Denver Broncos face the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome.