The Broncos started the season with a loss at home to the Raiders and veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. This week, they face a quarterback making only the third start of his short career.

And Denver coach Sean Payton had plenty of good things to saw about Washington quarterback Sam Howell.

“He’s a playmaker,” Payton told reporters on Friday. “He’s got this ability to extend plays, and that can become problematic. He’s a confident player, and you can see that they respond to him. I believe that’s one of the reasons [Commanders coach] Ron [Rivera] has confidence. You saw that when he came in last year, and then this year. A different type of player than we saw last week, and we just have to understand what are the things he’s comfortable with and maybe what are the things he’s not as comfortable with.”

Howell completed 19 of 31 passes for 202 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 20-16 win over the Cardinals. He added a touchdown on the ground.

The Broncos lost to the Raiders, 17-16, in Week 1. This will be their second straight home game to start the 2023 season.