The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce, had high praise for Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix on the New Heights Podcast. Kelce said, “Bo Nix… that guy was ripping it out there… They’re playing some good football.” Bo Nix and the Broncos nearly handed the Chiefs their first loss of the season, but a blocked field goal in the game’s final seconds gave Kansas City the win. Nix threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns in the loss, with a 69.2 QBR.
Bo Nix’s Rookie Season
This loss made the Denver Broncos drop to 5-5 on the season, but they are still overperforming expectations. Many expected Denver to be a losing team, yet they currently sit at .500 and have been competitive with the best teams in the NFL. Most of that success can be attributed to their defense and the coaching of Sean Payton. Denver’s defense has been stout. They rank fifth in the NFL, allowing 295.7 yards per game. They also rank fourth in the NFL in points allowed per game, only giving up 17.7. Sean Payton has helped turn this defense into a menacing force.
The defense has been the backbone of this Denver team, however, that should not discount the improvements made by Bo Nix. Nix was drafted far earlier than expected by the Broncos, and in his first few games, he looked completely overwhelmed. In his first start against the Seattle Seahawks, Nix threw for 138 yards on 42 attempts with no passing touchdowns and two interceptions. The following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Nix had another game with no passing touchdowns and two interceptions. Since then, Bo Nix has not lit the world on fire with his passing, but he has not had a multiple interception game.
Bo Nix and the Broncos offense is not the forte of their team. They rank 24th in the NFL in yards per game and 27th in passing yards per game. They score an average of 19.7 points per game and Bo Nix has not thrown for over 300 yards. The most Bo Nix has ever thrown in a game was 284 yards and three touchdowns, but that was against the Carolina Panthers, one of the NFL’s worst defenses.
Bo Nix’s Promising Performance
However, against the Kansas City Chiefs, Bo Nix had one of his better performances. The Chiefs’ defense is one of the top units in the NFL and Nix played an efficient game. He was 22-for-30 passing with no interceptions and put Denver in position to win. If the game’s final field goal was not blocked and went through the uprights, Bo Nix would have gone down as a hero for going into Arrowhead Stadium and giving the Chiefs their first loss of the season.
Bo Nix’s performance impressed many, including Travis Kelce and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Kelce’s comments and praise are indicative of how the feelings around Bo Nix have shifted since his debut. Many have doubted that Nix was on the level of an NFL starting quarterback, and while he is nowhere near franchise level yet, he has proven to be serviceable. With a good defense backing him, Nix can develop and grow with this Broncos team. The reps he has gotten this season have already shown improvements.
Bo Nix played one of his best games against the Kansas City Chiefs, earning the praise of Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes. He has cut down on the turnovers since his debut and will hopefully show more improvements to justify being drafted so high. His performance this past week gives Nix and the Broncos optimism despite the loss. Now, he will need to maintain a similar level of play and show further improvement through the air to take his development further.
