GLENDALE, Ariz. – OK, so the Broncos didn’t win Friday night. But there was still a feeling of it being the start of a new era.

Sean Payton took the field against Arizona for his first preseason game as Denver’s coach. And quarterback Russell Wilson showed signs that it might be a new beginning for him.

The Broncos looked to be in good shape after taking a 17-10 lead with 1:30 left on a 4-yard touchdown run by undrafted rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin. But the Cardinals stormed back against Denver’s third-string defense and David Blough threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Brian Cobbs with 2 seconds remaining. Emari Demercado then won the game 18-17 with a run on a two-point conversion at State Farm Stadium.

“Regardless of whether it’s a preseason game or a regular-season game, I just can’t stand losing, and especially in that fashion,” Payton said. “We’ll look at the tape (Saturday). There will be a number of things that we’ll be excited about and there will be a number of things we got to clean up.”

How Wilson looked was more in the excitement category. Payton had talked about Wilson and other starters playing 15 to 18 snaps. Wilson got 20 snaps, and his last one of the night was a gem.

Wilson threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy across the middle on fourth-and-4 with 6:54 left in the second quarter for the first score of the game. He finished the night 7 of 13 for 93 yards and a stellar passer rating of 102.4.

“I thought it was really good how we responded,” Wilson said.

The touchdown pass came a play after Jeudy had dropped a pass that would have been a first down, if not a touchdown.

“I saw the end zone so I lost focus on the ball,” Jeudy said. “That’s just a concentration thing. … But a shout out to the coaches and Russ for coming back to me the very next play.”

It had looked as if Wilson might have been done for the night he played the first three series and had 14 snaps while completing 4 of 9 passes. But Payton put him back in for a fourth series and he led the Broncos on a six-play, 57-yard drive for the TD.

“I wanted to score and leave with a good taste in our mouths,” Payton said of the first-string offense.

It marked the first preseason action for Wilson since he played for Seattle on Aug. 24, 2019 at the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Any time you get to be on the field, I just have gratitude no matter if it’s preseason, regular-season or playoffs,” Wilson said. “It’s good to be out there again.”

Wilson was traded from the Seahawks to the Broncos in March 2022 and had a disastrous first season with Denver. He is trying to bounce back, and got off to a good start Friday.

“He’s sharp,” Payton said. “He’s had a good week of practice and we keep working.”

Other than the touchdown pass to Jeudy, Wilson’s highlights included a 19-yard strike across the middle to Jeudy and nifty passes of 13 and 19 yards to Courtland Sutton. A lowlight was Wilson being sacked in the first quarter and fumbling before he recovered it.

A downer on the night for the Broncos was the battle at kicker. Brett Maher, perhaps the favorite to win the job, missed a 47-yard attempt wide right in the first quarter and had a 52-yard attempt blocked in the third quarter. Elliott Fry missed a 50-yard attempt wide right in the second quarter but did bounce back to hit a 55-yarder just before halftime.

“That’s not the whole special teams (but) we obviously have got to better in that unit,” Payton said.

Payton said before the game he would use a number of starters, which was the opposite of what former coach Nathaniel Hackett did last year. Payton had said that outside linebacker Frank Clark would play but he ended up not being used. Also an apparent healthy scratch was cornerback Pat Surtain II. Payton said it was a “coach’s decision” on both those players.

Also, safety Justin Simmons (groin) and right tackle Mike McGlinchey did not play due to injuries.

The Broncos suffered another injury in the first quarter when defensive tackle D.J. Jones was lost with a concussion.

The Broncos took a 10-0 at halftime thanks to Jeudy’s touchdown and Fry’s long field goal. But the Cardinals fought back in the second half, getting a 38-yard field goal by former Broncos kicker Matt Prater midway through the third quarter and a 7-yard touchdown pass from Clayton Tune to Kaden Davis early in the fourth quarter.

After Wilson was done for the night, the Broncos turned to backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham, and he struggled. Stidham completed 5 of 15 passes for 50 yards and had an interception.

Stidham was replaced in the fourth quarter by Ben DiNucci. He completed 7 of 9 passes for 57 yards.

Running back Javonte Williams, working his way back from a serious knee injury, did not play, which was expected. Payton has said that Williams could play int he second preseason game next Saturday at San Francisco. Samaje Perine got the start at running back and carried six times for 26 yards.