Stay here for live updates and analysis as the Broncos take on the Panthers at Empower Field at Mile High.

Live updates

First Quarter Updates

Touchdown, Panthers (2:36 p.m.): Carolina capped a 10-play, 49-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to Xavier Legette. Panthers 7, Broncos 0, with 7:12 left in the first quarter. – Nguyen

The Broncos didn’t attack, didn’t stop the run and let Bryce Young get comfortable. Then Pat Surtain II was hit on a slant by Xavier Legette for a 6-yard TD. Otherwise … – Gabriel

Bryce Young fires the TD pass on the first drive. He went 0-11 on the road in his career, with 5 TDs and 8 picks. Embarrassing start for Broncos. Fumble and allow TD on the first drive, where there were about four missed tackles. – Renck

Young was 5 for 5 for 39 yards and a touchdown on Carolina’s first drive. – McFadden

Sales (2:28 p.m.): After a nice start to their drive, the Broncos turned the ball over after Lil’Jordan Humphrey fumbled. Panthers ball. – Nguyen

.@Panthers Get the fumble back!

📺: #CARvsDEN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/RFpqwbn06q

– NFL (@NFL) October 27, 2024

Lil’Jordan Humphrey fumbles on his first reception. Carolina recovers and gives the offense solid field position. – McFadden

Coin toss (2:26 p.m.): The Panthers win the toss and move it. Denver will start with the ball. – Gabriel

Pre-game updates

Captains (2:25 p.m.): Nice to see Josey Jewell as captain of the Panthers. Broncos Cody Barton replaced him well. But Jewell did good work for Denver for several memorable seasons. – Renck

Josh Reynolds (1:45 p.m.): Broncos WR Josh Reynolds is here. Not a big surprise considering he was present at training all week. In training with the other guys who are inactive or on IR. – Gabriel

Odds on favorites (1:42 p.m.): If you told me in the summer that the Broncos would be a 12.5-point favorite in a game, I would say that’s crazy. But here we are. – McFadden

Side guests (1:35 p.m.): All the lights are here today. Peyton Manning stands on the sideline and chats with a few Panthers employees. Broncos owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner (with an aircast on his foot and a pair of crutches) speak with limited partner and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. – Gabriel

Locke’s replacement (12:59 p.m.): With Locke inactive, safety Devon Key should start for the Broncos. During training camp, when Brandon Jones was injured, he had a number of players on the first team. – McFadden

Broncos inactive (12:56 p.m.):

• S PJ Locke (thumb)
• OL Alex Palczewski (ankle)
• QB Zach Wilson (3rd QB)
• TE Greg Dulcich
• DL Eni Uwazurike
• OLB Dondrea Tillman
• CB Kris Abrams-Draine

– Gabriel

Locke injury update (12:47 p.m.): Broncos safety PJ Locke dropped out of practice on Wednesday and missed the final two days of practice with a thumb injury. Just came out of the tunnel in tennis shoes with a fairly large cast on my left hand/wrist area. – Gabriel

Good afternoon from Empower Field (12:08 p.m.): It’s another picture-perfect day for football. The snow predicted for next week appears to be a long way off today. The Broncos are favorites by two points against Carolina, which is off to a terrible start this season. Denver’s defense is one of the best in the NFL and will likely face Carolina QB Bryce Young, who will have to return to the lineup in place of Andy Dalton after sitting on the bench to start the season. Are there any surprises today? Or is this as clean as it looks? – Gabriel

Scouting report (9:23 a.m.): Check out how the Broncos stack up against the Panthers in Ryan McFadden’s scouting report.

Match predictions

Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Broncos 31, Panthers 13

Every now and then a game comes along at the right time and under the right circumstances, making it feel like a given. This is one of them. Denver is by no means infallible, but has played well on defense and special teams for most of the season, and the running game has picked up in recent weeks. Even two of those three should be enough to get past what is by far the worst team in the NFL in terms of numbers. The Broncos are also better as the schedule tightens in November.