Broncos HC Sean Payton Explains How Bo Nix has 'Encouraged' Him on Film

Sean Payton is searching for a silver lining but the Denver Broncos buck stops with him.

Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) drops to pass the ball in the second quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Suffice it to say, Denver Broncos fans are concerned about rookie first-round quarterback Bo Nix. It's bad enough to start the season 0-2 for the second straight year, but Nix and the offense performing this poorly has reignited the familiar pit-of-the-stomach feeling within Broncos Country.

Fans are old enough to remember how it felt to watch 2016 first-round Paxton Lynch fail to launch and weep on the sidelines in the Black Hole or 2019 second-rounder Drew Lock struggle to find his NFL footing amid one coaching incompetency after another. Alas, the failure of those two high-profile quarterback draft picks correlated directly to the Broncos' years-long losing streak.

With Nix's experience and college production, combined with Sean Payton's NFL record and quarterback resume, the expectation was that it would be different for the Broncos this time around. We can do our best to list and separate the reasons from the excuses, but the reality is Nix and Payton have yet to show they can break the cycle.

In the Broncos' 13-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the offense was painfully bad. The Broncos struggled to run the ball, which allowed the Steelers to load the box, and tee off on Nix.

Payton was unable to deliver an effective counterpunch to Mike Tomlin's confounding jabs, though the Broncos did finally start moving the ball somewhat in the third quarter. Nix finished the day with 246 passing yards and zero touchdowns, with two interceptions (including a dagger in the end zone), and a QB rating of... wait for it... 55.2.

Statistically, the only relatively positive to Nix's day at the office was his 57.1 completion percentage (which isn't great but it could be worse), but Pittsburgh happily allowed him to dink and dunk within five yards of the line of scrimmage. Much like Nix's NFL debut in Seattle the week prior, Payton has been very defensive of his rookie quarterback.

After an understandably testy appearance at the podium post-game, Payton was more reflective during his Monday conference call. Having a chance to study the film helps, and he detailed his silver-lining takeaways from Nix's first home start as a Bronco.

“I thought he processed pretty quickly yesterday. I thought he got into some of his progressions really well," Payton said of Nix.

Payton fell on the sword, taking accountability for not putting Nix and his teammates in a better position schematically and play-calling-wise, but much like the Seattle game, the Broncos head coach continued to harp on the rookie's supporting cast doing a better job around him.

"We’ve got to separate a little bit more and give our guys better opportunities when we’re getting a lot of match or man coverage," Payton said. "We’re counting on the one-on-one matchups, and we need to get into some other schemes that I think can help that way. We had a handful of RPOs we executed well. We’ll build on that, but I would agree. I felt like we saw steps and again, I think someone asked me after the game relative to his confidence, I feel a confident player. I think from that standpoint, I’m encouraged.”

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Payton lamented the Broncos' execution lapses and costly penalties, challenging the offensive line to be more consistent in both its run and pass blocking. With only two games' worth of sample size, it's been clear that Nix looks much more comfortable when Payton calls a high-tempo offense, but within the framework of the typical game, those situations are usually reserved for the end-of-half and the fourth quarter.

But Peyton Manning was one of the first NFL quarterbacks to realize the strategic advantage of running the hurry-up offense throughout a game, keeping the opposing defense on its heels and reeling. Payton has his share of experience doing the same thing, at times, with Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, and even defeated Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl Super Bowl XLIV.

It's hard to say that Nix has thrived at any point since the regular season began, but he's looked the most comfortable and productive with tempo and going off-schedule. Against the Steelers, Nix faced consistent interior pressure in the first half. Although Denver's blocking improved in the second half, the rookie quarterback was a bit spooked, scrambling too early and not working the pocket.

Based on Payton's remarks on Monday, perhaps he's starting to realize how to mitigate some of the Broncos' offensive shortcomings upfront and help his rookie from a play-calling perspective.

“A couple of things you see on tape. You see, early on, us struggle inside, which forces him out of the pocket," Payton said of Nix. "Then you do see, later in the second half, a cleaner pocket, and then him hurry it. It’s developing the confidence of climbing, developing the confidence within the framework of your protection."

It's difficult to develop the confidence to climb the pocket when there isn't one. That's on the O-line. Despite the obvious concern for Nix's confidence, Payton insisted that his quarterback's mindset is still in a good place and complimented his pocket presence as a foundation to "build on."

"He does have a good pocket presence for the most part," Payton said. "He’s not someone that’s just going to look to take off and look to scramble. So we’ve got to build on that and make sure it kind of begins with that, relative to the design of what you’re trying to do in the drop-back passing game.”

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Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton during the first quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Payton concluded that particular remark by emphasizing the 'D' word: design. Whether we want to hear it or not, much of Nix's struggles, and that of the offense, is the fault of Payton. Whether he's put too much trust in the rookie too soon or just being too slow to adjust in-game, Payton is not setting the Broncos up for success as a play-caller and tactician.

It's absolutely shocking, considering what we know about Payton. Remember, this is the guy who won a Super Bowl in New Orleans and helped Bress build a Hall-of-Fame resume, not to mention the success Payton had with every starting quarterback he fielded besides Brees for his 16 years in the Bayou.

Going back even further, Payton was very influential in Tony Romo's development and eventual rise in Dallas. The Cowboys even won 10 games with Quincy Carter at quarterback in 2003, thanks to Payton. Prior to that, Payton resurrected Kerry Collins' career, who led the New York Giants to a Super Bowl berth in 2000, where they promptly ran into the buzzsaw that was the Ray Lewis-led Baltimore Ravens defense.

Considering Nix's combination of age, experience, and talent, it's difficult to understand how Payton could be so widely missing the mark. It'd be one thing if Nix went out there and turned in a pair of inconsistent performances in two close losses, but the scale at which he has struggled and failed to produce is what has alarmed every Broncos fan and member of the media.

The truth is, fans and media alike are sick of hearing about it. They're tired of the platitudes, coach-speak, and hushed assurances.

Broncos Country is turning away and checking out in droves. 'Close but no cigar' is a tune that went flat long ago as the Broncos have turned in eight straight playoff-less seasons.

We knew there would be growing pains in Year 1 with Nix. The absence of a record $80 million (in dead money) on this year's salary cap — $80 million that Denver's opponents and peers have been able to spend on personnel — was always going to take its toll and come out in the wash. That was the price Payton paid to end the Russell Wilson experiment five years early.

The lack of investment is showing itself badly on offense, specifically at the skill positions. But this is an offensive-minded head coach. Payton has a long and storied track record of turning offensive lemons into lemonade.

But the way this offense has started in 2024 is akin to how bad Vic Fangio's defense was the first quarter of the 2019 season. Fangio was viewed as the most influential defensive coach of the moment, and was coming off an enormous year as the coordinator in Chicago, and yet, the Broncos failed to notch a single sack until Week 4 of his first season as the head man in Denver, going 0-4 to start.

How could Payton's calling card as an NFL entity be the very source of the Broncos' ailments? It doesn't add up, which is why people are beginning to doubt the Nix pick and Payton's job security as Broncos head coach. Payton's credibility is in the toilet currently.

Look, it's way too early to give any serious credence to either of those doubts. I'm only voicing them here because I'm hearing and seeing them everywhere at the moment. It's most definitely a thing already.

Fans don't want to hear that Payton and Nix had to face two of the best defenses in the NFL to open the season. Why? Because Payton is supposed to be one of the best offensive minds of the modern NFL era. It's the very definition of incongruent.

Bottom Line

The only way for Payton and the Broncos to get the long-suffering fans and skeptical media back is to start showing it on gameday. Stop pointing the finger and start delivering when the chips are down.

End of sermon.

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