Bo Nix Reveals Takeaways from Head-to-Head Losses to Herbert & Burrow

The Denver Broncos rookie might find more wisdom in losses than meaning in victories.

Dec 19, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) and Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) embrace following the game at SoFi Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

No matter what happens on Sunday vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos fans will get to hear from rookie quarterback Bo Nix at least one more time before the season ends. Nix has a post-game date with the podium locked in, but whether he stands at the microphone victorious remains to be seen.

For the past two weeks, the Broncos have battled to get that elusive 10th win. Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow — in consecutive games — stiff-armed the Broncos, despite Nix playing well in both losses.

Facing a lose-or-go-home proposition on Sunday, Nix is hyper-fosued on getting to 10.

“Our goal the past couple of weeks is get to 10 [wins]," Nix said on Wednesday. "We have another opportunity to do that."

Nix is definitely under pressure, but if his performances over the past two weeks — especially the one in Cincinnati — are any indication, it's comfortable territory. He talked about his belief that "pressure is a privilege," and how such is life for any quarterback looking to make his bones in the NFL.

No, it's doesn't appear that the noise or pressure has gotten to Nix, the Broncos' back-to-back losses notwithstanding. The rookie has acquitted himself well in those games vs. the vaunted likes of Herbert and Burrow, and, of course, we in the media can't help but compare Nix to them.

Nix was encouraged by his head-to-head performances vs. Herbert and Burrow, but the bad taste of losing is hard to wash out of his mouth. And that's not the worst thing for a hyper-competitive soul like Nix.

“Yes, I am [encouraged], but also it’s the feeling of defeat that kind of stays with you that ultimately you try to avoid," Nix said. "Those two guys [Herbert and Burrow] are playing at the highest level of our position. They do their jobs really well."

The observant Nix seemed to be taking notes on Herbert and Burrow. He provided his report on how they're able to execute at such a high level.

"They’re always motivated, they’re always competing, tough," Nix said. "They make throw after throw after throw. They’re able to scramble when they need to. So that’s just the style of quarterbacking [and] the level of quarterback play that you have to provide for the team."

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Although Burrow's Cincinnati Bengals aren't trending for the postseason, Nix and the Broncos found out the hard way that they are a playoff-caliber opponent. Herbert's Los Angeles Chargers clinched a playoff berth by defeating the Broncos.

Each setback is lesson for the apt pupil with the eyes to glean it. Watching them compete and doing what it takes to beat a very good Broncos defense presents all sorts of edifying takeaways for a hungry, smart quarterback like Nix, but also the cold, hard reality that navigating the playoffs means facing and vanquishing such under-center competition.

"Those are playoff teams. Those are the teams that you have to beat to go to the next level," Nix said of the Chargers and Bengals. "Every playoff team is going to have a quarterback like this. It’s good to play against them, but also at the same time, our defense is the one playing against them. They’re the ones stopping them. It’s our job to go against that defense and try to do our effort, and as a collective team just win these games.”

Nix is striving to one day be in the same conversation as the Herberts and Burrows of the NFL. One could argue that, even as a rookie, Nix is already on that level, having been voted a Pro Bowl alternate.

The rookie's production has been historic. He's one of just six rookies to ever surpass 25 touchdowns and 3,000 passing yards in NFL history.

Individual accolades and accomplishments are great and they're part of the greater competitive puzzle for a quarterback. The 2024 NFL season — in hindsight — might be remembered as Nix's impressive pro debut, but at the end of the day, it's likely to be relegated to the dustbin of Broncos history if he and Sean Payton don't find away to salt away the Chiefs and finally secure that elusive 10th win.

If the Broncos manage to win on Sunday, they're guaranteed to make the playoffs. It would snap the team's eight-year playoff drought and rekindle joy and splendor throughout Broncos Country.

Nix will have to do his part. But the rookie needs the Broncos' secondary to stop its precipitous freefall into the NFL doldrums (since Week 13), and go smother Chiefs backup quarterback Carson Wentz.

Regardless of how a Broncos playoff run would resolve, getting that monkey off the franchise's back would be a far more impactful and lasting way for Nix to communicate that times have indeed changed than any and all rookie stats and accolades. He can't do it alone, though.

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