Bo Nix is off to a slow start this season, and the Denver Broncos need him to kick his performance into high gear starting with the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night Football” in Week 4.
Unfortunately, Nix has left plenty on the table statistically.
However, Nix has an encouraging track record in primetime games, and the Bengals present a potential get-right opportunity.
Broncos Get Bo Nix Reminder Before Bengals Game
Nix has completed 64.2% of his throws for 535 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions through three games. He also has 19 carries for 71 yards. Nix is having a more productive start in the air and on the ground than he had through three games as a rookie.
He also has a winning record in primetime.
“Bo Nix is 2-1 in primetime games in the NFL,” DNVR Sports’ Zac Stevens posted on X on September 29. “Monday Night Football [soon emoji].”
The one loss was to the Los Angeles Chargers, who beat the Broncos in Week 16 of last season. Denver followed that with a loss to the Bengals in Week 18. This season’s Broncos are coming off a loss to the Chargers as they enter “Monday Night Football” against the Bengals.
Nix has a 721-3-2 line on 62.4% completion in those games, but he must be sharper.
ESPN Insights posted on September 29. “Can Bo Nix turn the corner against the Bengals? Nix entered Week 4 ranked 25th in Total QBR (42),” noting the Broncos lead the NFL in Pass Block Win Rate with a 75% mark and third in pressure rate at 22%.
Broncos Defense Must Back Up Bo Nix, Offense
There are some key differences in this matchup, though. Most notably, the Broncos will not face Bengals QB Joe Burrow, who is sidelined with a toe injury. His replacement, Jake Browning, has a 381-3-5 line on 67.8% completion in two games with one start.
He has also taken 4 sacks.
The Broncos led the NFL in sacks, ranked third in scoring defense, and seventh overall in 2024, but they were 19th against the pass.
This season, they rank 13th, 18th, and 18th, respectively. They are tied for the third-most in sacks. Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph called for his unit to make more splash plays and cleaner performances in general.
“I think in this league, you see every weekend, that the best players make big-time plays in the crucial moments,” Joseph told reporters on September 26. “We got to make more of those.”
“I think those plays are going to happen in NFL games as far as their best players making plays. My focus is us playing better, cleaner football for four quarters, so these games don’t come down to one play. It’s never one play, right? And right now, the penalties are killing us, and it’s been two weeks of that. So, I’ve got to coach that out of our players.”
That would go a long way to helping Nix and the Broncos’ offense, giving them short fields and, perhaps, even putting points on the board. The Broncos returned 3 interceptions and 2 fumbles for touchdowns in 2024.