Broncos QB Bo Nix Takes Blame for Missed Troy Franklin TD

“I wouldn’t put that as a drop on him."

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) gives a thumbs up in the first quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix put himself under the proverbial bus for the would-be touchdown bomb that slipped through rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin's grasp during Sunday's 34-18 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

“It was a single play. We had it flipped. He wanted it to the boundary, and we just kind of got confused there in the huddle. So I tried to get things right," Nix explained to reporters in his post-game press conference. "We ended up having it, had a chance and I overthrew it, but that’s a part of the game sometimes. With the huddle operation sometimes you just have to make the most of guys, how it is with the play clock moving. You just make the most of it, and fortunately it didn’t bite us.”

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The play in question — which preceded a now-viral sideline exchange between Nix and Broncos head coach Sean Payton — occurred near the end of the third quarter when Nix uncorked a high-arcing rainbow that traveled about 60 air yards to an uncovered Franklin in the back of the end zone.

Right off his mitts. Inexplicably incomplete.

Instead of going up 27-10 with a kill shot, the Broncos were forced to punt. It was a rare misstep amid an otherwise dominant second half — one that apparently doesn't fall at the feet (or hands) of Franklin.

“I wouldn’t put that as a drop on him," Nix said. "That was probably a 60-yard ball that he had to track down and catch. The fact that he got to it when I overthrew it was pretty impressive. Those are ones that you watch on Sundays, and sometimes you just miss. It was good for him to get his first catch on the over. I thought he’s very close to breaking out. I think that I can help him a lot more than what I am. It was very close. So we’d love to have it back, and I’ll put probably a yard less on it, and he’ll catch it.”

Troy Franklin sheesh pic.twitter.com/wM9x0dWvuP

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 7, 2024

Considering the history between the former college teammates — they connected for 23 TDs across two seasons at Oregon — Nix is simply earning his captain's stripes here by shifting blame away from Franklin despite the latter's obvious gaffe.

Franklin finished the game with one reception for 20 yards across two targets, playing his fewest offensive snaps (11) since his Week 2 NFL debut.

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