It was the battle between rookie quarterbacks, it was the return of the formerly beloved head coach; it was the Denver Broncos facing the New Orleans Saints in the Superdome for a mammoth Thursday Night Football game. Add to it that Drew Brees was in the building to be inducted into the team's Hall of Fame and the subplots were plentiful going into this match.However, it was a different feeling for the players. The Saints were 2-4 for the season and had lost their last four games. They were missing starting quarterback Derek Carr and starting wide receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. They were looking to break the cycle and put themselves back in contention in the NFC South.The Broncos came into this matchup with a 3-3 record. They were looking to get to a winning percentage and accrue some momentum. The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers are setting the pace ahead of them in the AFC West and this was an important game in that context.Here is how the action went down:Broncos vs. Saints box scoresQuarter1234TotalBroncos31310733Saints030710Broncos Box ScoresPassingPlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTSACKSRTGBo Nix16/261646.3000-079.6RushingPlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONGJavonte Williams14886.3220Bo Nix10757.5032Jaleel McLaughlin4358.8021Audric Estime5295.8013Jarrett Stidham2-2-10-1Team352256.4232ReceivingPlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONGTGTSTroy Franklin550100306Lucas Krull34113.70234Javonte Williams3237.7093Devaughn Vele120200203Marvin Mims Jr.21890113Lil'Jordan Humphrey2126093Adam Trautman000003Team1616410.303025DefensePlayerTOTSOLOSACKSTFLPDQB HTSTDJustin Strnad9610010Levi Wallace8700000Cody Barton8610111Ja'Quan McMillian6612010Riley Moss6400000Brandon Jones5401000P.J. Locke5201000Nik Bonitto3111030Zach Allen310.50030John Franklin-Myers2111010JL Skinner2100000Jonah Elliss210.50010Levelle Bailey2000000Riley Dixon1100000Tremon Smith1100000Malcolm Roach1100100Michael Burton1000000Kwon Alexander1000000D.J. Jones1000000Devon Key1000000Jonathon Cooper1000000Damarri Mathis1000100Jordan Jackson1000000Keidron Smith1000000Nate Adkins1000000Team7343663111KickingPlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTSWil Lutz4/4100523/315Saints Box ScoresPassingPlayerC/ATTYDSAVGTDINTSACKSRTGSpencer Rattler25/351724.9006-3682.1Jake Haener3/4389.5100-0143.8Team28/391745.4106-3692.9RushingPlayerCARYDSAVGTDLONGKendre Miller6366016Spencer Rattler5346.8028Jamaal Williams3175.7013Alvin Kamara7101.406Team21974.6028ReceivingPlayerRECYDSAVGTDLONGTGTSCedrick Wilson Jr.6579.51177Mason Tipton6457.5099Foster Moreau238190322Bub Means33712.30145Juwan Johnson31860126Alvin Kamara6142.3067Kendre Miller210.5063Team282107.513239DefensePlayerTOTSOLOSACKSTFLPDQB HTSTDJordan Howden8400000Demario Davis7500000Alontae Taylor7500100Paulson Adebo6300000Tyrann Mathieu5300000Marshon Lattimore4400000Anfernee Orji4202000Carl Granderson3301000Bryan Bresee3200000Kool-Aid McKinstry3200000Cameron Jordan3100000Johnathan Abram3100000Willie Gay2100000Adam Prentice1100000John Ridgeway III1100000Blake Grupe1100000Rico Payton1100000Khristian Boyd1100000J.T. Gray1000000Nathan Shepherd1000000Payton Turner0000100Team654103200KickingPlayerFGPCTLONGXPPTSBlake Grupe1/1100351/14Broncos vs. Saints game summarySean Payton returned to his previous stomping grounds and left with a thoroughly comprehensive victory against his old team.The tone was set right from the first quarter. The two teams exchanged punts before the Broncos got the scoreboard moving with a field goal. With Denver dominating the time of possession, the last thing the Saints needed was a fumble but that is exactly what happened as Spencer Rattler was hit when attempting to throw.The Broncos got the ball back and scored another field goal in the ensuing drive to open the scoring in the second quarter. Another punt by the Saints allowed Bo Nix to engineer a drive that led to the first touchdown of the game by running back Javonte Williams, which made the score 13-0 in favor of the visiting team.The two teams would exchange a couple of field goals before the home team entered the break with their fans' boos ringing in their years as they trailed 16-3.The one-way traffic resumed in the second half with a punt by the Saints in their first drive giving the ball to the Broncos to score a field goal with their opening offensive action of the second half. Things got worse as on Denver scored on their next possession with Javonte Williams getting his second of the night.With the score 26-3 going into the fourth quarter, the game was already out of sight with New Orleans showing no hint of offensive firepower. However, worse was to follow for the home fans as their team first turned it over on downs. The supporters in the Superdome thought they had something to cheer when the Broncos fumbled next but the Saints returned the favor in the ensuing drive.Spencer Rattler was sacked and he lost the ball, which was recovered by Denver linebacker Cody Barton and returned for a defensive touchdown. With the score now 33-3, Dennis Allen downed tools and brought in quarterback Jake Haener to see New Orleans through garbage time.He turned out to be the one bit of positive for the Saints in this game as he completed three of his four passes and connected for a touchdown to Cedrick Wilson Jr.The home team then tried to mount an unlikely comeback with an onside kick but the Broncos were ready for it. A couple of kneel-downs later the game ended 33-10 in favor of the visitors, with New Orleans now falling to 2-5 and Denver improving to 4-3 for the season.