SEATTLE (AP) — It wasn’t a perfect start for Bo Nix. But Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton saw plenty of promise in his rookie quarterback's NFL debut.

Nix, the 12th overall pick in the draft, finished on the short end of a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. It was a frustrating day, filled with a lot of short passes, a few poor decisions and some late heroics that came up just short.

“It was a challenge, for sure, to say the least,” Nix said. “I thought they were a really good defense. I thought they played well in their scheme. I thought they rallied to the football. It was tough to get some explosive plays. And I think when you have a hard time getting explosives, you’ve got to sustain drives.”

Pushing the ball downfield was the biggest issue Nix faced. He finished 26 of 42 passing, but for only 138 yards, an average of just 3.3 yards per attempt. He also threw two interceptions, the first to Seahawks safety Julian Love early in the second quarter, and the other to Seattle cornerback Riq Woolen with 5:37 left in the game.

“He’s a rookie quarterback, he’s very talented obviously, Bo is,” Love said. “But it’s Lumen (Field), first game, first start, he’s a rookie quarterback, he’s going to get the ball out quick. And so that’s why you see a lot of check downs today. A lot of great tackling I felt like by us, and then they tried to test the waters a few times deep, and I think we defended well.”

Nix showed some promise and resolve late in the game and gave Denver a chance to pull off a late comeback. He followed his second interception by leading a seven-play scoring drive that Nix capped with a 4-yard TD run to pull Denver within six with 2:19 to go.

Payton was pleased with Nix’s resilience and pointed to some dropped passes by the Broncos’ receivers as a part of the rookie’s struggles.

“He gave us a chance, you know?” Payton said. “Our protection was average at best. … At one point in the game, I came to the bench and talked to the receivers and said, 'Look, you know, let’s go. I don’t know how many drops we have, but man, let’s help this guy.’"

Nix is just the eighth quarterback in the Super Bowl era to throw 40 passes in a game and finish with fewer than 140 yards through the air. The Broncos went three-and-out seven times and had eight punts, and were never able to get the run game going. Nix led Denver with 35 yards rushing. The three running backs Denver used combined for 64 yards on 20 carries.

“It was a tough day,” Nix said. “You know, they didn’t make it easy on us, that’s for sure. But we competed, we went down and scored there at the end and gave overselves a chance to win.”

While the numbers weren’t inspiring, the Broncos chose to look at the positives.

Nix had a 23-yard scramble and completed four passes for 27 yards on Denver’s final drive before his rushing score, and showed poise and leadership in the huddle, wide receiver Josh Reynolds said.

“I love that, a quarterback that continues to fight,” Reynolds said. “With our team, we just continued to fight. It looks good, we’ve just got to clean up stuff.”

Freeland works 6 solid innings, Hillard and Goodman hit homers as the Rockies beat the Brewers 4-1

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kyle Freeland pitched one-run ball for six innings and Sam Hillard hit a three-run homer as the Colorado Rockies beat the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 on Sunday.

Freeland (5-7) allowed an unearned run on three hits and struck out four for his ninth quality start of the season. The 31-year-old left-hander improved to 5-3 in his last 13 starts since returning from a left elbow strain that landed him on the injured list on June 23rd.

“The story of the game was Freeland,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “He pitched very effectively. He went in and out. Pitched on the edges. Not a lot of hard contact.”

Freeland pitched with a blister on his left pinkie.

“We were able to put something on it to guard the skin against the nail and allow some of that pressure to be alleviated,” Freeland said. “It held up all day. Felt good."

Freeland allowed a base bit to Issac Collins in the second inning and then retired the next 14 batters.

“The movement on his pitches picked up from the second inning on,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “Kyle just steadily got better.”

Relievers Seth Halvorsen, Angel Chivilli and Angel Chivilli teamed up for three hitless innings of relief.

“It's absolutely awesome,” Freeland said of the young relievers. “They don't flinch.”

Halverson pitched a 1-2-3 seventh. Chivilli handled the eighth, and Kinley retired the side in order in the ninth, extending his career-high save total to 11 out of 12 chances.

Hunter Goodman hit a solo homer in the third inning off Milwaukee starter Freddy Peralta (10-8), tying the game.

Hillard hit a two-out, three-run homer off Hoby Milner in the fifth inning that gave Freeland a 4-1 cushion. Hillard also homered in Saturday night’s game after replacing Brenton Doyle in center in the fifth inning.

Murphy brought in the lefty Milner specifically to face the left-handed batting Hillard.

“It didn't work out,” Murphy said. Black agreed. “Sammy got him.”

Peralta gave up three runs on seven hits, walked two, struck out four and missed a chance at his first three-game winning streak this season.

“Freddy didn't have his best day, obviously,” Murphy said after his team dropped two of three games each to the Rockies and the St. Louis Cardinals.

William Contreras singled in the first, advanced on a ground out, took third on third baseman Ryan McMahon’s throwing error and scored on Rhys Hoskins’ base hit.

Collins, the 10th Brewer to make his major league debut this season, singled in the second and stole second.

Charlie Blackmon went 3 for 5 and earned his ninth three-hit game of the season. He's batting .314 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and four RBIs over his last nine games.

INJURY REPORT

Rockies: Doyle missed the game with a sore left hand that he hurt Saturday while making a diving catch.

ROCKIES ROSTER MOVES

The Rockies reinstated RHP Victor Vodnik (right biceps inflammation) from the 15-day injured list and designated LHP Ty Blach (3-8, 6.94 ERA in 20 games, including 12 starts) for assignment.

BREWERS ROSTER MOVES

The Brewers selected INF/OF Issac Collins from Triple-A Nashville and optioned OF Brewer Hicklen to Nashville.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Bradley Blalock (1-2, 5.40 ERA) makes his sixth start of the season on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game road series against RHP Keider Montero (4-6, 5.47 ERA) and the Detroit Tigers. Monday is an off-day.

Brewers: RHP Aaron Civale (5-8, 4.62 ERA) starts Tuesday in a three-game road series against the San Francisco Giants. Monday is an off-day.