Bo Nix’s first NFL victory came in emphatic manner on Sunday, as the Denver Broncos defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-7.
In his third career start, Nix looked like the man Sean Payton had hoped for when the Broncos selected him with the 12th choice in the draft.
“I say this, and I mean this,” the head coach remarked after the Broncos’ victory on Sunday, when asked about Nix’s first NFL win. “It’s extremely critical, and I include myself and the offensive coaching staff, that we paint a great picture for this player. Coaches and receivers have a responsibility to portray a picture of a player’s potential.
“This guy is going to be something.”
Payton is not afraid to set high expectations for the 24-year-old rookie. And this isn’t the first time the head coach has talked highly of Nix.
Payton made it obvious minutes after the Broncos selected the Oregon signal caller that Nix would be their quarterback in the draft. Furthermore, Adam Schefter reported on draft night that Payton felt the same way about Nix as he did about Patrick Mahomes coming out of college.
On Sunday in Tampa, Nix took a positive step toward proving Payton and the Broncos correct.
Nix led scoring drives on six of nine drives — excluding the final drive in which the Broncos emptied the clock — for a season-high 26 points against a defence that was allowing only 18 points per game entering Sunday.
For much of the game, Nix carried the offence in the air and on the ground. Until Tyler Badie broke a 43-yard run in the fourth quarter, Nix was the team’s leading passer and rusher.
The rookie completed 25 of 36 passes for 216 yards and was not sacked once.
“We had protection, and we had a very excellent plan for getting in and out of some audibles. “Bo handled it very well,” Payton remarked, complimenting his quarterback. “We were going to have answers if it came.”
Nix was the team’s second-leading rusher, totaling 47 yards and a touchdown on 5.2 yards per carry.
After a tough 0-2 start to Nix’s career and the Broncos’ season, there were concerns about the rookie’s confidence. The head coach never believed the notion that Nix’s confidence had dipped.
Following Sunday’s victory, Payton shut the door on even considering the possibility that Nix’s trust has ever waned.
“No. No, no, no, no, no, no, stop, it fits your story. “Stop,” the head coach responded, interrupting a reporter who asked if Nix was more confident on Sunday than two weeks ago. “Kid has been confident. The kid attended Auburn and then transferred. He has won and won and won, and I have not seen him flinch. We all gain a little confidence after a win, but I say this gently. He has not flinched. We had a good plan. The players did an excellent job, and he obviously had more enjoyment than in previous weeks.”
The head coach made it clear how he thinks about his rookie quarterback.
In his 18 months as Broncos head coach, Payton hasn’t always had his quarterbacks’ back.
But since Bo arrived, the head coach has always had his back and never wavered in his belief in the rookie. Sean Payton made it apparent once more on Sunday, following Bo Nix’s first NFL victory.
Leave a Reply