It wasn’t a secret that the 2024 season might be an uphill battle for the Denver Broncos. Poor quarterback play could make that even more difficult to maneuver.
Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix has found himself under the microscope after the first start of his career — a 26-20 road loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Nix’s performance was tough to defend, going 26-of-42 passing for 132 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He was also sacked twice.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine put Nix’s play among the “Worst Week 1 NFL Performances” because of his struggles against the Seahawks.
“The numbers speak for themselves and they don’t say much positive. Nix’s 2.5 average completed air yards were lower than everyone in the league outside of fellow rookie Jayden Daniels, per Next Gen Stats,” Ballentine wrote. “If Nix doesn’t show that he can push the ball down field a bit, it’s going to be easy for teams to defend the Broncos by stacking the box and getting aggressive.”
Nix will get a much warmer welcome in Week 2 when the Broncos return home to face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 15 — hopefully warm enough to jump start the No. 12 overall pick’s rookie season.
Nix Does Little to Infuse Energy Into Passing Game
According to ESPN’s Ben Solak, Nix’s 42 pass attempts and his 3.3 yards per attempts were the sixth-lowest figure in an NFL game with at least 40 pass attempts since 1970.
Nix’s second interception was particularly troubling. With 5:36 left in the fourth quarter and the Broncos trailing 26-13, Nix attempted to pass into triple coverage — a slow-moving lob that was easily picked off by Seattle’s Riq Woolen.
“Oh no,” CBS color commentator Adam Archuleta said as Nix’s pass left his hand. “… You cannot attempt that pass in the National Football League and think that you’re gonna get away with it.”
While there will be some leeway for Nix this season — he’s the first rookie starter for the Broncos since 1983 — determining exactly how much could be another matter entirely.
https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1832917941802701017
RB, OL Failed to Offer Much Support for Rookie QB
Any criticism of Nix’s performance in Week 1 should also point out that he was also a big part of the reason why the Broncos were still within striking distance at the end of the game.
Nix led the Broncos with 5 carries for 35 yards and 1 touchdown.
“Nix is still a rookie and didn’t get much support from the cast around him. The Broncos’ run-game woes are partially responsible,” Ballentine wrote. “The trio of Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime combined for 64 yards on 20 carries. Nix had a rough outing, but the run game shouldn’t be that bad every week and that should give him a better context to have success.”
McLaughlin also lost a fumble for 1 of Denver’s 3 turnovers. Nix’s 2 sacks could also be a cause for concern, as could the health of the offensive line. Left offensive tackle Garett Bolles was out for the final 2 offensive drives for the Broncos with an ankle injury but is expected to be in the lineup against the Lions.
