Broncos QB Bo Nix Denies that He's Forcing the Ball to Courtland Sutton

Bo Nix is striving to be a good leader while he struggles to keep his head above water.

Aug 11, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) and quarterback Bo Nix (10) stand on the field during warm ups before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Bo Nix seems to be reeling. The Denver Broncos' rookie quarterback has begun his pro career 0-2 as a starter, with zero passing touchdowns and four interceptions.

The offense that Nix presides over ranks dead last in the NFL in red-zone efficiency (14.29%), 29th on third down (23.3%), and has scored just one touchdown — a quarterback rushing score, ironically. Now, it hasn't been all Nix's fault, although, as the triggerman, he shoulders the bulk of the blame as the only skill-position player to touch the ball on every play.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton has fiercely defended his rookie quarterback, calling on his offensive players to "help our guy." The Broncos' offensive line has been wildly inconsistent in run-blocking and as pass protectors, the unit has allowed way too much pressure.

Nix has also been the victim of dropped passes. He's had a few off-target passes, but he's also seen more than his fair share of drops through two games.

Courtland Sutton, the Broncos' team captain and No. 1 receiver, has been complicit in the drops issue, though not the biggest perpetrator. Nix has prioritized Sutton in the passing game, targeting the veteran 16 times thus far, and opponents have easily keyed in on it.

However, during Wednesday's mid-week press conference, Nix said, "No," when asked whether he's "forcing" the ball to Sutton inordinately, and he explained how he's approached the virulent case of the 'dropsies' the Broncos have suffered from early on.

“Well, it’s like me. When I miss a pass, they don’t come up and harp on me," Nix said. "So I think I have to treat them the same exact way. We’re professionals and we have high standards, but we’re allowed to mess up, too, and we make mistakes. Those guys, I see them work every day. I see them continuously show up, make plays in practice, make plays in games, so I’m not going to get too uptight about one play."

You've got to have a short memory as a pro athlete, especially in the NFL. If you're a receiver and you drop a pass, holding onto the disappointment of that miscue will lead to a lack of focus in the present and risks it repeating.

The same holds true for a quarterback. Nix, like his teammates, has to quickly learn what lessons there are to be gleaned by a bad decision, a misthrow, or an interception, and turn the page. But as a captain, he's always looking for ways to help his teammates when they're dealing with a slump or even one play they'd like to have back — the mark of a young leader.

"If there’s something that I can do to help them, I’m definitely always there for them, but I definitely think it’s a work in progress and we’re all—all 11 of us on offense, have things we can improve on," Nix said. "Sometimes a drop is seen on national television, but you didn’t see the inaccurate throw, or you didn’t see somebody that might have messed up within the play. So sometimes that is made bigger than what it is.”

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Nix's teammates will certainly appreciate the times he's stepped up publicly to shoulder the blame for miscues that should, in many ways, fall at their feet. For example, following Nix's brutal third-quarter red-zone interception in Week 2, Payton seemed to blame a wide receiver for running the wrong route, but the rookie quarterback was unflinching in taking accountability for it at the podium post-game.

“That falls on me," Nix said last Sunday. "That was just a bad decision. [You] can’t have that.”

Bringing it back to Sutton, despite Nix's emphasis in targeting the wideout, it's only led to five completions for 64 yards. Among the many other ills Payton is working frantically to cure, finding ways to get Sutton involved and impacting the offense could be atop his to-do list.

“Early on—he plays ‘X’, but he can play other spots," Payton said of Sutton on Wednesday. "A lot of it gets back to the third downs. Tonight, we’ll be game planning third down, and we have to be better in that area to add more snaps throughout the course of the game.”

To be better on third down, the Broncos must set themselves up to be in better to-go distances. Too often, the Broncos have been behind the sticks on third-and-long because they've been unable to establish the run against two very, very good defenses on first and second down.

This week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are another above-average defense, but they're likely to be missing two key defenders up front and could be down another depending on how the gameday decisions pan out. With star nose tackle Vita Vea listed as doubtful and Calijah Kancey ruled out, along with safety Antoine Winfield Jr., Nix and company have an opportunity to get off the schneid.

The Broncos will be without starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey for the next month, but the injury bug could offer Payton's offense the catalyst to finally get things moving, especially on the ground. Last week, Broncos No. 1 running back Javonte Williams averaged 1.5 yards per carry and if that keeps up, he won't be the top guy for long.

Here's to hoping these issues come together for the Broncos in Week 3, at least somewhat. Nix and company don't need to take the NFL by storm, per se, but experiencing some modest success, like converting at a better rate than 2-in-10 on third down or 1-in-10 in the red zone, are the building-block steps it takes to end up on top in the standings.

Let's hope we see some baby steps from Nix and this young Broncos offense in Tampa because Baker Mayfield won't be looking to take it easy on anyone.

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