Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is under fire after losing to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 3. The shots are coming from outside the organization as the team looks to get its second win of the season with the Cincinnati Bengals on tap in Week 4.
Amid some seemingly damning new evidence, Broncos head coach Sean Payton downplayed one key aspect of Nix’s game.
Moreover, teammates have spoken out regarding their second-year QB.
Bo Nix Not Deep Ball Issues ‘50th’ on Sean Payton’s List
Entering “Monday Night Football” in Week 3, many of the lasting images of the Broncos’ loss are Nix sailing a pass just beyond the reach of his wide receivers. Payton, though, insisted that he was not concerned with the miss and preached caution.
“There’s the two deep throws – the flea flicker and then the third down play – And I think you got to be careful you’re not overcoaching a deep ball that’s going off the fingertips. Now, we’ve seen a couple in the last two weeks. And yet, someone asked me about it yesterday, and I think that the more concerning problem would be if we’re leaving those balls inside where they’re susceptible for an interception,” Payton told reporters on September 22.
“He’s climbing the pocket. He’s doing a great job. Both of those are third-and-long situations, where there’s, obviously, a different type of pass rush. But that’s not what’s concerning to me this morning, after the loss yesterday, … the deep ball misses. That wouldn’t be what’s on my mind.”
“The conversations, relative with the Q [quarterback], would not be those two deep balls on third-and-23 or third-and-11. The conversation would be, throughout the game, relative to plays we’re getting in and out of, location throws, third down,” Payton said. “A lot’s been made, I think, of the two long balls – and I’ll be honest with you – again, driving in this morning, that’d be like 50th on my to-do list.”
Bo Nix Receives Worst QB Grade
The Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson posted on X on Monday that “Nix remains the lowest-graded quarterback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus. With one game left in Week 3, among 35 quarterbacks with a required number of snaps, he is No. 35.”
DNVR Sports’ Zac Stevens noted Nix went “3/9 on passes 10+ yards beyond the LOS against the Chargers.
“He was 5/7 on passes between 0-10 yards.”
Payton’s message is consistent with his postgame comments about Nix.
Still, many pointed to Nix and his failings on deep passes as the key issue that led to the Broncos’ loss to the Chargers.
Teammates Defend Bo Nix
Nix’s Broncos teammates remained in his corner, with running back J.K. Dobbins and wide receiver Courtland Sutton both deflecting blame from the young QB.
“He ain’t miss no throws. He played a great game. We got his back. I got his back. He’s a great quarterback. It’s a team game. We lost as a team. It’s not on him,” Dobbins told reporters on September 21. “I gotta make more plays for him, and that’s it. He ain’t made no bad throws. He just – it is what it is. We gotta make a play for him, even if it’s not a good-placed ball. Gotta make the play. That’s what it is.”
Sutton, who caught a touchdown on a deep pass from Nix in the game against the Chargers, said he actively tells Nix not to carry the brunt of any blame for the issues the Broncos have encountered.
All of the Broncos must step up to get back in the win column, Nix included.