New Orleans Saints fell to their fifth straight defeat as the Denver Broncos eased to a 33-10 win on Thursday night.
Javonte Williams ran for two touchdowns as Broncos Sean Payton won on his return to New Orleans, who he steered to their only Super Bowl triumph.
Bo Nix passed for 164 yards and ran for 75 yards as he won the battle of two rookie quarterbacks, Spencer Rattler throwing for 172 yards in his second start in place of injured Saints veteran Derek Carr.
Rattler was sacked six times and fumbled twice before being replaced in the fourth quarter.
Two Wil Lutz field goals put the Broncos ahead before Williams grabbed his first score midway through the second quarter.
Blake Grupe got the Saints on the board with a 35-yard field goal, but Lutz added two more either side of half-time before Williams went in from five yards for his second score.
Cody Barton returned a Rattler fumble 52 yards in the fourth quarter to add to the Saints' misery, the rookie quarterback's late replacement Jake Haener finding Cedrick Wilson Jr from 12 yards late on to provide some consolation.
