Angela Rae Harris's Blog, page 20

What sets Lewis-Palmer School District 38 apart? A lot!

What sets Lewis-Palmer School District 38 apart? A lot! 

Nestled against the foothills between Colorado Springs and Castle Rock is Lewis-Palmer School District 38, where students at two high schools, one middle school, five elementary schools, a charter school and in a home school enrichment program benefit from top tier academics complemented by well-rounded extracurricular activities in a small-town setting. From well-rounded athletic programs to gymnastics, ice hockey, and lacrosse clubs, and the visual and performing arts, and more, there is something for everyone! 

Students with teacher at Lewis-Palmer Middle School. Photo by Stephanie Gonzalez, social media specialist and photographer

Big opportunities complement the small community feel in this premier K-12 school district, where children and teens learn and grow. It is a place where individual talents are recognized and developed in a safe and nurturing environment, fueled by a partnership between parents, award-winning educators, and the community at large. Examples of community involvement include more than 100 businesses supporting students at a Career Expo, participation in Town Halls and a survey that provides evidence of just how much education is valued in the area. 

The student body includes those from Monument, Palmer Lake, and parts of northern El Paso County, boasting small class sizes with enviable student-teacher ratios. 

First day of school at Lewis-Palmer Elementary School. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Gonzalez, social media specialist and photographer.

Distinctive and different 

“Lewis-Palmer School District is a place where tradition meets innovation. Our district has a reputation for academic excellence, and we are committed to maintaining high standards when it comes to academics,” said Amy Matisek, director of Communications. “In D38, we’re about every student, every day, and recognize there are many different pathways for success. An example of this commitment is our new D38 Career & Innovation Center that provides hands-on, work-based learning opportunities for students to prepare them for some of today’s most in-demand careers.” 

Career & Innovation Center students. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Gonzalez, social media specialist and photographer

New for the 2025-2026 school year, high school juniors and seniors have exposure to real-world, hands-on experiences when they participate in the work-based learning opportunities the Career & Innovation Center offers over the course of two consecutive class period that complement their primary high school schedule. This elective opportunity, designed with local businesses and an economist, pairs academics with student interest in Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Skilled Trades (which welcomed 200 students to learn about construction and welding) in the first phase, with a second phase offering Healthcare and Computer Science pathways. Certifications can be earned, with students opting to enter the workforce with an apprenticeship following graduation or expand their knowledge at a two-year college or four-year university. Whichever they choose, they have both the technical and soft skills needed to succeed.  

DID YOU KNOW? 

Lewis-Palmer District 38 is within the top 12% of all districts in Colorado. District 38 students rank in the 85th percentile in academic achievement. The Denver Business Journal recently ranked Lewis-Palmer District 38 the 3rd Best School District in Colorado. Most schools in District 38 perform well above the state average in various metrics. Lewis-Palmer High School Freshman Orientation. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Gonzalez, social media specialist and photographer

Visit LewisPalmer.org to learn more! 

Paul Klee: Bo Nix embraces chaos with career-high passing night, 28-3 beatdown of Bengals on Monday Night Football

Bo knows and embraces chaos.

It’s the most endearing hallmark he’s shown Broncos Country through 22 games of the Nix era.

Right before halftime of a 28-3 beatdown of the hopeless Cincinnati Bengals Monday night with 75,000 of his friends at Empower Field, Nix interrupted his coach’s plan and put the chaos of a two-minute drill in a bear hug.

“Bo kind of bailed me out,” Sean Payton conceded after.

Bo’s plan?

Instead of “clocking” the football and settling for a field goal, the initial idea, Nix zipped a laser to trusty wide receiver Courtland Sutton for a touchdown and 21-3 halftime score. Game. Over.

“There was a little bit of chaos, but we made it work,” Nix said.

Chaos can take your breath away like a punch to the gut as the Broncos learned the hard way in walk-off defeats the previous two weeks against the Colts and Chargers. Those last-second field goals hurt like heck.

But if the Broncos found a quarterback who leans into the chaos, instead of running away from it, they are about to go on a run over the next month and a half. With the Broncos and their recent narrow losses as a perfect example, the NFL has reminded us it’s a league of crazy.

Without all-world quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals had no chance against the Broncos.

Without a quarterback who’s calm and cool when things get crazy, no team in the NFL does.

On a festive night when Nix passed for a career-high 326 yards, the second-year quarterback wasn’t among the three most compelling storylines. Those would be, in no particular order, J.K. Dobbins becoming Denver’s first 100-yard rusher in 38 games; the Broncos’ defense throwing a shutout for the final 54 minutes of game time; the Chihuahua puppies who raced at halftime.

A blowout with the result never in doubt was just what the Broncos needed.

“The last few weeks here stunk,” said Nix, who wore those heartbreaking defeats on his sleeve and returned with a career-best passing night and 512 yards of total offense.

The secret sauce included a handful of “spontaneous plays” at the line of scrimmage, Payton said. Chaos. And Nix ended Cincinnati’s night with that 20-yard touchdown to Sutton with only 8 seconds on the clock. More chaos.

Yes, Nix is 0-7 against AFC heavyweight quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Burrow, who unfortunately is out for the season due to injury. He next gets a shot at the king of the NFC, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, the Super Bowl champ. Maybe Nix can make some headway over on the other side of the bracket.

But it’s also quite possible Nix deserves the benefit of the doubt as the second-year quarterback here.

Colorado is kinda tough on its quarterbacks, if you’re new around here or hadn’t noticed. I remember a game against the Jaguars in 2013, when the Broncos were 26.5-point favorites and got booed into the locker room at halftime — even though Peyton Manning’s outfit was leading at the time.

Nitpicking the quarterback is part of our DNA, which makes sense when the bar was set by Manning and John Elway. Don’t like it? There are other options for quarterback employment, like the Bears or the Browns or the Buffs. 

Nix embraces the pressure and attacks the chaos, as he did Monday. Almost half of his passing yards, 153, came against the Bengals’ blitz, according to Pro Football Focus. Nix also converted 11 first downs against the blitz. The Bengals had nine total.

“Find ‘Court’ and throw him the ball,” Nix explained. 

The Broncos are positioned to go on a run here. The next six opponents have a combined record of 8-15-1, and that includes Philly’s 4-0 record. Only one opponent in that stretch currently has a winning record. Looks good on paper.

The Bengals are a measuring stick only if it’s measuring the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

There’s no way to tell from Monday night if the Broncos offense found its identity (“All 31 other teams are working to figure out who they are. We’re not different,” Payton said); if the penalties are a blip or a serious problem (Denver had seven more); if Nix can beat the best of the best quarterbacks in his way.

“There’s always going to be noise,” he said of the wave of criticism he did, in fact, notice.

Chaos, however, doesn’t concern Nix.

In a league of crazy, that should be a good place to start.

J.K. Dobbins becomes first 100-yard rusher of Sean Payton era in Broncos’ victory over Bengals

The Broncos finally did it. 

Their 37-game streak in the regular season without a 100-yard rusher is mercifully over.  

On Monday, in a 28-3 home victory over the Bengals, running back J.K. Dobbins carried the football 16 times for 101 yards. He is the first Broncos player to exceed the century mark rushing in a game since Jan. 8, 2023, when Latavius Murray ran for 103 yards against the Chargers. 

Dobbins reflected on the accomplishment in a postgame news conference at Empower Field.  

“That means a lot to me,” Dobbins said. “I’ve been working really hard to get that, especially for coach Payton. I know that means a lot to him as well. The o-line was blocking incredible. I can’t do it without those guys. It’s a great feeling. Maybe I can go back-to-back now.” 

The Broncos also found balance in the backfield between Dobbins and RJ Harvey. The second-round rookie contributed 14 carries for 58 yards. Harvey also logged four receptions for 40 yards and his first NFL touchdown catch from quarterback Bo Nix.  

“It’s a great balance,” Dobbins said. “I’m always in RJ’s corner. I’m always trying to help him and do everything I can to make him be a really good pro. He’s going to keep getting better, and we’re going to help each other in the long run.” 

Their joint production resulted from a new coaching strategy. Payton decided to utilize one running back for an entire series instead of mixing carries between Dobbins and Harvey in a given series. It worked. 

“There were certain tags that put either one in, but we gave them series. I think that helped both of them,” Payton said. “Where it’s certainly easier to call plays, and both of them got in good rhythms. There was hard-fought yardage. I thought those guys both ran hard. I thought we blocked them well. … It was good to have a 100-yard rusher.” 

Dobbins reached the rushing milestone late in the fourth quarter. On his fifth carry of the drive — with first-and-10 from the Cincinnati 33-yard line — Nix pitched the ball to Dobbins going left toward the near sideline. He followed excellent downfield blocking from left guard Ben Powers, tight end Nate Adkins and wide receiver Courtland Sutton for a burst of 16 yards.

“I’m one of those guys — where if I get into a rhythm, like if I get consecutive carries — I think I get better as the game goes on,” Dobbins said. “I’m sure that’s probably every running back who will tell you that. So tonight, in the second half, that’s what you saw. I think coach Payton has started to figure me out and RJ out and the offensive line out. Just the whole offense. He’s figuring it out and he’s doing a great job of putting us in the right positions.” 

The Broncos combined for 186 rushing yards. Wide receiver Marvin Mims and Nix also ran for touchdowns. 

“Thirty carries, a bunch of yards on the ground and multiple runs in a row? That’s what we want as an offensive line,” right guard Quinn Meinerz said. “We’re a good enough line to run the ball and also pass the ball pretty well. It was a good game for us on the o-line.” 

Meinerz called Dobbins and Harvey an “incredible duo” and said they have often joined offensive line meetings this season. Denver is emphasizing an outside zone scheme that requires runners and blockers to be truly in sync in order to be successful. It seems their work is starting to pay off.

The Broncos (2-2) aim to prove that Monday night was no fluke with a quick turnaround traveling to play the Eagles (4-0) on Sunday in Philadelphia.  

“We can get better,” Dobbins said. “Today, I had some runs where I could have broken a tackle and went to the crib, as we say in the locker room. I’ll be better and I’ll keep working on that. … We feed off of each other, pass game and run game. Nobody can stop us if we keep doing what we did tonight.” 

Broncos manhandle Bengals 28-3 to stop two-game skid

The Broncos’ offense looked good. The defense looked good. Then again, the Bengals are bad. 

Still, it was a much-needed win for Denver over Cincinnati, 28-3 on Monday night at Empower Field at Mile High. 

After consecutive losses at Indianapolis and at the Los Angeles Chargers, both on last-play field goals, the Broncos could not afford to start 1-3. Instead, they are 2-2 heading into Sunday’s game at defending champion Philadelphia. 

“It was super important,’’ outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said of getting the win. “Just getting back in front of our fans, I feel like it was big for us.” 

The Broncos had talked all week about trying to find their offensive identity, and there were signs of it emerging Monday. Quarterback Bo Nix completed 29 of 42 passes for a career-high 326 yards, although he did throw an ugly interception in the end zone in the second quarter. 

Denver rolled up 186 yards on the ground, with J.K. Dobbins getting 101 to become the first 100-yard rusher in head coach Sean Payton’s three seasons. 

“We felt like we were able to run the ball,’’ Payton said. “We knew this was an important game to establish the line of scrimmage. … (It was) certainly a step in the right direction (for the offense) and I would say there were a lot of things that were able to do that can hopefully carry over.” 

The Broncos’ defense, after shaky showings against the Colts and the Chargers, allowed just 159 yards. But the Bengals are a shell of the team they were before star quarterback Joe Burrow was lost in Week 2 until at least December with a toe injury. 

With replacement quarterback Jake Browning making his first start of the season, the Bengals lost 48-10 at Minnesota in Week 3, and it wasn’t much better Monday. Browning completed just 14 of 25 passes for 125 yards. 

“We just came in with the mentality that we wanted to get it done,’’ said Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian. “The last few weeks have been hard on us. We haven’t been the smartest team defensively. We just wanted to come out there and execute and get the job done.” 

Browning did lead the Bengals (2-2) to a 26-yard field goal by Evan McPherson on their first drive of the game. But they didn’t get past the 50-yard line the rest of the night. 

The Broncos closed the first half with three straight touchdowns to take a 21-3 lead. Nix scored on a 6-yard run late in the first quarter. In the second quarter, wide receiver Marvin Mims scored on a 16-yard run, and Nix threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton with 8 seconds left in the half. 

Payton said Nix, with his play call and execution, “bailed me out.” That’s because had a player been tackled inbounds, the clock would have run out. 

“We just had to make it work,’’ Nix said. “We’re starting to find ways to click and find rhythm.” 

Nix bounced back for the touchdown throw after he had an errant pass picked off in the end zone on fourth-and-1 at the Cincinnati 2 by linebacker Demetrius Knight on Denver’s previous possession. 

The Broncos were content in the second half to mostly run the clock. They closed the scoring with Nix throwing a 12-yard touchdown pass to RJ Harvey with 4:58 left in the game. It was the first career touchdown for the rookie running back who wears No. 12. 

Sutton had five catches for 81 yards. Mims, who had been listed as questionable with a hip injury, had six receptions for 69 yards. 

On the ground, Dobbins carried 16 times for his 101 yards, and Harvey had 14 attempts for 58 yards. The Broncos had wanted to establish the run early, and they had 88 yards rushing in the first half while averaging 5.5 yards per carry. 

“Nobody can stop us if we keep doing what we’re doing (Monday),’’ said Dobbins, who became the first 100-yard rusher for Denver since Latavius Murray had 103 in the 2022 finale against the Chargers. “We’re just going to keep getting better.” 

Tight end Evan Engram returned to the Broncos after missing one game with a bad back, but didn’t make much of an impact. He had four catches for 29 yards, but had a drop and failed to get a second foot inbounds on what should have been an easy completion. 

The Broncos had three sacks, with outside linebacker Nik Bonitto getting 1.5. Bonitto has 4.5 this season, putting him on pace to finish with 19. The team record is 18.5 by Von Miller in 2012, which Bonitto has said is “very reasonable” to break. 

“I just feel like a more confident player this year,’’ Bonitto said after the game. “I’m seeing things a lot faster, trusting myself within the defense.” 

The win felt very good for the Broncos after two straight gut-wrenching defeats. On Sept. 14, a missed 60-yard field goal was wiped out by a leverage penalty on Denver, and Spencer Shrader then won the game on a 45-yard boot on the final play. On Sept. 21, Cameron Dicker’s 43-yard field goal on the final play won it for the Chargers. 

There was no drama down the stretch on Monday, just a bunch of penalties. The Bengals were penalized 11 times in the game and the Broncos seven times, and there were several penalties declined. 

“There will be some things to clean up with the penalties,” Payton said. 

Nevertheless, before Payton came to Denver in 2023, the Broncos had lost seven straight games on Monday Night Football. They have now won three straight games on Monday Night Football. They have now won three straight. 

After suffering hip injury, Broncos’ Marvin Mims comes up big in win over Bengals

There was nothing that was going to keep Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. out of a game against the Bengals. 

In Week 17 last December, Mims had eight catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-24 overtime loss at Cincinnati. That included tying the game 24-24 on a dramatic leaping 25-yard touchdown reception with 8 seconds left in regulation. 

So, after Mims suffered a hip injury in Saturday’s practice and was listed as questionable for Monday night’s game against the Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High, he was determined to play. 

“Honestly, nothing was going to keep me from going out there,’’ he said. “If I had an opportunity, had a chance, I was going to go out there and play.” 

Mims said his hip “felt great” in the game, and his play also was darn good in Denver’s 28-3 win. He caught a team-high six passes for 69 yards and scored on a 16-yard touchdown run in the second quarter for a 14-3 Broncos lead. 

“We felt good,’’ Broncos coach Sean Payton said about Mims’ health leading into the game. “We would not have played him if not. He had a pretty significant workout (leading up to the game), and the (medical staff) and everyone felt good about. … It was good to see him moving around. It was real good.” 

The touchdown run came on what has been Mims’ only carry so far this season. He ran around the left end and into the end zone. 

“(Wide receiver) Pat Bryant had a huge important block,’’ Mims said. “He smokes the guy coming down. Without him, I would have been probably negative two yards and on my back, probably crying for someone else to come in. Shout out to him, but it was a good play call.” 

In two career games against the Bengals, Mims now has three touchdowns. 

“Every time I see the Bengals, it’s pretty cool playing against them,’’ he said. 

Introducing Nik Bonitto 

Before he spoke to the media in the locker room after Monday’s game, Jonathon Cooper was asked to introduce fellow outside linebacker Nik Bonitto. 

“This is Nik Bonitto, best passer rusher in the NFL,’’ Cooper said. “Take it away, Nik.” 

Bonitto then played down what Cooper said. 

“Something like that,’’ he said. “I wouldn’t say. I don’t know.” 

But Bonitto did say that he is a “more confident player this year” and “seeing things a lot faster.” 

That certainly looked to be the case Monday when Bonitto had 1.5 sacks, giving him 4.5 in four games. He shared a sack in the first quarter with Cooper and had one of his own of Bengals quarterback Jake Browning in the third quarter. 

“The first one, I thought I had a great get-off, and I thought I was going to get him and then I saw old Coop coming on the other side faster than me and I was like, ‘Oh, darn,’’’ Bonitto said. “So, we ended up sharing that one and that was pretty cool. On the second one, I had a nice little spin move.” 

Broncos moves 

Before Monday’s game, the Broncos elevated linebacker Garret Wallow from the practice squad to the active roster to face the Bengals. 

It marked the third straight elevation for Wallow, which is the limit for one team for one season. So, he would need to be signed to the 53-man roster to play in any more games in 2025 for Denver after Monday’s game. 

Wallow, a four-year veteran, has played well on special teams in the past two games, getting 33 overall snaps. He has not played any snaps from scrimmage, but would be available for depth with Dre Greenlaw missing his fourth straight game due to a quad injury. 

Inactive for the Broncos were running back Jaleel McLaughlin, tight end Lucas Krull, outside linebacker Que Robinson, tackle Frank Crum, defensive lineman Jordan Jackson and Sam Ehlinger, the emergency quarterback. 

It marked the first time this season Jackson has been inactive. Instead, rookie defensive lineman Sai’vion Jones was active for the first time. 

McLaughlin was inactive for the fourth time in four games with season, with Denver again electing to go with Tyler Badie as the third running back behind starter J.K. Dobbins and rookie RJ Harvey. 

The Broncos dressed three tight ends in Evan Engram, who returned after missing one game with a back injury, Adam Trautman and Nate Adkins. Krull was inactive for the first time this season. 

Watson signs with Titans 

Former Broncos running back Blake Watson signed Monday with Tennessee’s practice squad. 

Watson spent last season with the Broncos as a rookie on both the 53-man roster and practice squad. He was waived at the end of the preseason last month with an injury settlement after hurting his knee in the Aug. 23 finale at New Orleans. 

A source said the Broncos wanted to sign Watson to their practice squad, but they would have had to wait until Week 7 due to rules regarding his injury settlement. With Watson now healthy, he wanted to immediately get on a roster. 

Briefly 

Payton tied his mentor Bill Parcells for No. 16 on the all-time NFL coaching wins list with his 172nd victory. “He is a pretty big influence on what I have been able to achieve,’’ said Payton, adding that being an assistant under Parcells with Dallas from 2003-05 “allowed me to have success in being a head coach.” He went to New Orleans in 2006, his first of what is now 18 NFL seasons as a head coach. … Bonitto gave a “shoutout to Riley Moss” after the game. He said that the Bengals wanted to go right at Moss, and they did that with an early completion from Jake Browning to Tee Higgins. But then Moss really stepped up. “They went at him early in the game,’’ Bonitto said. “He told me he loved them to keep going at him. He did his thing, and they went away from it.” … Star Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase had just five catches for 23 yards and Higgins had just three grabs for 32 yards. 

Denver CB Patrick Surtain II limits Cincinnati WR Ja’Marr Chase in premier matchup

The approach vs. the highest-paid receiver in the NFL could be condensed to two words.

“Game plan was Patrick Surtain (II),” Denver defensive back Ja’Quan McMillian said. “Limited him and got the job done.

In many ways, this was a true one-on-one, the receiver who led the league in catches, yards, and touchdowns last year against the cornerback who is the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

It was a one-sided battle for No. 2 in blue and orange.

Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase caught just five passes for 23 yards in Denver’s 28-3 drubbing of the Bengals Monday night at Empower Field. Only one of those catches for eight yards came when he was covered by Surtain.

“It does mean a little more, as a matter of fact,” Surtain told The Denver Gazette after initially claiming this was just another opponent. “Most definitely. But I always think about me vs. me at the end of the day. No matter who I go against, I got to line up, make sure of my technique and that I’m on my Ps and Qs.”

The question for Surtain and the Denver defense now becomes, can it maintain this high bar as it will see four of the NFL’s top seven receivers (as measured by salary) in a span of five games?

Chase, who led the NFL with 127 catches for 1,708 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, is at the top of that list, earning $40.25 million this year according to spotrac.

Next week it will be A.J. Brown of the Eagles, who ranks seventh in earnings at the position ($32 million). Then it’s the New York Jets’ Garrett Wilson (fifth, $32.5 million). The Giants, on Oct. 19, don’t feature a receiver making elite money, but Wan’Dale Robinson has 18 catches. After that CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys will visit Empower Field at Mile High. Lamb, who has averaged 114 catches over the past three seasons, ranks third among receivers at $34 million.

Chase was one of many elements of the Bengals’ Joe Burrow-less offense that showed little spark in a night it gained 159 total yards (by comparison, Denver put up 513), failed to reach the end zone, and didn’t even pass midfield after a long opening drive ended with a field goal.

Still, could this be a template to work from over the next month?

Surtain won’t treat anybody differently, because that’s not where his focus lies.

“I just think it’s my preparation,” he said, “my technique.”

Broncos vs. Bengals grades: Denver takes care of business on Monday Night Football

The Broncos did what they needed to do on Monday Night Football against the Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High.

Here are the grades for the 28-3 win.

Offense

The Broncos got right against the Bengals. Quarterback Bo Nix and the offense needed a game where they looked good, and they got it. Nix had over 300 yards passing, and it could have been more without a couple of drops. J.K. Dobbins became the first 100-yard rusher in Sean Payton’s tenure as Broncos coach. RJ Harvey, who scored a touchdown, was also much more involved in the offense on a night where the Broncos had 519 yards.

Grade: A

Defense

After Cincy had four first downs on its first drive, the Broncos’ defense stiffened up against backup quarterback Jake Browning. Denver’s secondary kept Bengals star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins quiet. The Bengals were 2-for-11 on third down and did not cross midfield after that first drive. Nik Bonitto had another 1.5 sacks, and the Broncos surrendered just nine first downs to Cincinnati.

Grade: A

Special teams

Kicker Wil Lutz made all four of his extra points, but punter Jeremy Crawshaw averaged 49.8 yards a punt, but did have to go into the end zone. Not much excitement in the return game for Marvin Mims.

Grade: A

Coaching

Payton’s play-calling was the best of the season. The Broncos threw 42 passes and ran the ball 38 times. Penalties continue to be a problem and will need to be cleaned up before playing the defending Super Bowl champs next week. Denver had seven penalties for 72 yards in a game that was filled with flags.

Grade: B

Broncos vs. Bengals: 3 takeaways from Denver’s 28-3 home victory in Week 4

The Broncos defeated the Bengals, 28-3, inside Empower Field at Mile High on Monday night. 

Here are three takeaways from the home win. 

Early lead 

The Broncos went three-and-out on their first offensive possession with a delay of game penalty. But things improved quickly, with three scoring drives. Quarterback Bo Nix rushed in for a 6-yard touchdown. Wide receiver Marvin Mims took a reverse 16 yards into the end zone. Then Nix hit Courtland Sutton for a 20-yard touchdown. The Broncos led 21-3 at halftime. They missed an earlier opportunity when Nix threw a fourth-down interception in the red zone. But it was the fast start Denver needed against an underwhelming Bengals team without starting quarterback Joe Burrow.  

Sutton stars 

Get the football to No. 14. That appeared to be the early game plan with Sutton putting on a show. The veteran wide receiver, in the first half alone, caught all five of his targets for 81 yards and a touchdown. Sutton did not record a catch in the second half as Denver mostly bled out the clock against an inferior opponent. But Sutton’s usage has certainly increased since Week 2, when he finished with just one catch for 6 yards. The Nix-Sutton connection is easily one of Denver’s most reliable options on offense. 

Engram assessment 

Tight end Evan Engram returned after a one-game absence due to a back injury. His first target resulted in an incompletion because his second foot hit out of bounds on the sideline. He later dropped a pass from Nix. Engram, 31, looks more like an aging veteran than the supposed “Joker” that coach Sean Payton covets on offense. He’s already dealt with calf and back issues since joining the team in free agency. It’s possible that Engram just needs more time adjusting to Payton’s offense. But right now, Adam Trautman is clearly the team’s top-producing tight end. 

CU Buffs find success with Dre’Lon Miller’s hybrid role

BOULDER — Since he stepped on Colorado’s campus, Dre’Lon Miller has envisioned himself making plays in a variety of ways.

Whether it’s running routes downfield, carrying the ball out of the backfield, or catching screens at any spot on the field, Miller feels he’s best able to help the Buffaloes offense with the ball in his hands.

On Saturday night against No. 25 BYU, Miller’s belief was proven correct.

“I came here to make plays,” Miller said after scoring two of the Buffs’ three touchdowns Saturday night. “I feel like with the ball in my hands, I can make people miss in space, and that’s just my job. One person can’t tackle me, so I feel like I showed that.”

Colorado wide receiver Dre’lon Miller runs for a short gain past Brigham Young defenders in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The worst-kept secret in Boulder this week was that Miller was going to feature out of the backfield with CU’s top two running backs, DeKalon Taylor and Simeon Price, both out for at least this past game and potentially longer.

It wasn’t necessarily new for Miller, who actually lined up at running back, alongside Shedeur Sanders, on the Buffs’ first offensive play of the 2024 season. But that was more of a gimmick for someone CU used almost exclusively out as a wide receiver last fall.

Saturday night, though, was something different. Miller carried the ball eight times for 52 yards — good for a team-best 6.5 yards per attempt — and a touchdown. On the Buffs’ second drive of the game, Miller took three straight direct snaps out of the ‘wildcat’ formation and got the final 30 yards the team needed to get into the end zone.

He also finished with two catches for 27 yards and was on the receiving end of quarterback Kaidon Salter’s only passing touchdown in the game — a go-ahead score in the third quarter.

“Honestly, it’s football at the end of day,” Miller said. “It’s what I love to do. Put me anywhere on the field and I’ll do what helps the team, what makes us better, and I’m down for it. So it doesn’t matter where I am on the field. I just want to make plays for my team, make us better.” 

Brigham Young linebacker Jack Kelly, left, tackles Colorado wide receiver Dre’lon Miller in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Miller has often compared himself to Commanders wide receiver Deebo Samuel, a versatile player who shined for years in a hybrid role for the 49ers, and it seems like the Buffs are about to unleash him in a similar fashion.

“That is what he’s gonna do for us from here on out,” Deion Sanders said. “That’s who he is. We’ve identified who he is. (Running backs coach) Marshall (Faulk) is happy to have him in his room and we’re gonna use him as much as we can — and even more.”

Miller’s performance against BYU came after a rough start to the season. After playing in all 13 games as a true freshman, CU and Miller both hoped he was in for a breakout season that saw him become one of the top weapons on an offense that saw four wide receivers graduate and move on to the NFL.

But in the first four games, he failed to register more than three catches and more than 25 receiving yards in a single game. He struggled with drops and didn’t appear to be one of the team’s top three options out wide.

“It was a lot at the beginning of the season,” Miller said. “I didn’t expect that. I’m pretty sure the fans didn’t expect it. That’s what football is for. You have to learn and forget. My teammates, my receiver corps, they picked me up. My coaches, they let me know it’s not over.”

In fact, it might just be the beginning for Miller’s season.

“(Against BYU), I feel like I was just free to play myself and just be Dre’lon,” he said.

Deion Sanders, Colorado squander golden opportunity with blown lead in loss to No. 25 BYU

BOULDER — A minute before midnight, as he walked away from another postgame press conference following a loss, Deion Sanders crumbled up the stat sheet and sighed.

Coach Prime really had one consistent message after Colorado’s 24-21 loss to No. 25 BYU on Saturday night at Folsom Field.

“We had opportunities, a tremendous amount of opportunities, but nevertheless, we didn’t cash in on them,” Sanders said.

“We got to do better as a staff, as a team, and I’ve got to do better,” he added later.

Another familiar line?

“We just didn’t make it happen.”

Well, the ‘could’ve, would’ve, should’ve’ Buffaloes are now 2-3 overall and 0-2 in the Big 12 after blowing an early 14-0 lead, which featured 17 unanswered points allowed and just one offensive scoring drive in the final 45 minutes of the game.

Quarterback Kaidon Salter came out hot, leading CU to back-to-back touchdown drives sandwiched around a turnover on downs forced by the Buffs defense. Through one quarter, the Alamo Bowl rematch was looking nothing like the previous meeting in San Antonio at the end of 2024. 

Brigham Young cornerback Evan Johnson, right, tackles Colorado quarterback Kaidon Salter after a long gain in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

But the rest of the way? It felt all too familiar as the Cougars used a physical running game to control the tempo — winning the time of possession battle nearly 2 to 1 in the second half — and with a quarterback that didn’t put the ball in harm’s way.

“The young quarterback (Bear Bachmeier) is phenomenal,” Sanders said of BYU’s true freshman under center. “Proud of him. He did what he had to do to win the game. He made the plays that he was supposed to make to win the game.”

On the flip side, Salter didn’t.

He was just 8-for-13 for 80 yards, one touchdown, and one interception after the first quarter. He also took a couple of brutal, game-altering sacks while his freshman counterpart seemed to make something out of nothing on multiple occasions.

“There are a few plays out there that I left behind that I really wish I had back,” the veteran Buffs quarterback admitted.

But the play that will haunt CU the most was not Salter’s game-ending interception with the team trailing by just a field goal in the final minute. It was actually a play on the other side of the ball.

It was late in the third quarter, and BYU had the ball back after the Buffs answered to re-take the lead on a touchdown pass from Salter to Dre’lon Miller. The Cougars were facing a third-and-17 from their own 35-yard line. It was a chance for the CU defense to fully grab hold of the momentum with over 50,000 people inside Folsom Field as loud as they were all night.

Instead, Bachmeier escaped the pressure in the pocket, and the Buffs had no one there waiting to bring him down as the BYU quarterback scrambled for 16 yards and gave his team a chance to convert on a fourth-and-1, which they did. Three plays later, the Cougars scored the game-winning touchdown.

Brigham Young head coach Kalani Sitake, center, joins his players in paying tribute to fans after an NCAA college football game against Colorado Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

“That play is killing me right now,” safety Tawfiq Byard said postgame. We have to get to the ball. We have to run to the ball. We have to stare in our gaps and we have to go get the quarterback.”

That was just one of several of those “missed opportunities” Sanders couldn’t stop mentioning. But it’s not like he was exactly surprised, either.

“Everything I saw today, I saw at practice, and that’s where it starts,” Coach Prime said. “I pray that these young men understand that practice is a prerequisite. That’s your preparation for how you’re going to perform. Rarely have I seen men at all levels practice poorly and still dominate in the game. I haven’t seen that it wasn’t my recipe for success. We’ve got to practice better.”