Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton came to the defense of quarterback Bo Nix, assuring that big plays will come. Payton pointed out that the main challenge for the offense is the lack of a clear identity, which affects Nix’s performance. The Broncos have suffered consecutive losses on the last play, losing against the Indianapolis Colts and the Los Angeles Chargers. Nix’s performance has been under scrutiny due to the offense’s struggles. Currently, Nix is ranked 25th in QBR (41.8), and his completion percentage in “tight-window” situations is 37.5%, ranking 16th in the league. In the recent game against the Chargers, Nix was close to connecting on several important plays, but missed by overshooting his receivers. The Broncos had seven possessions in which they gained nine or fewer yards, and on four occasions they did not surpass the yard line.
Payton emphasized that the Broncos’ real problem lies in a broader perspective. The team ranks 27th in third-down conversions and in the average yards to advance on third down. In addition, they are ranked 19th in long plays (runs of 10 or more yards and passes of 20 or more yards) and in passing yards per game. The Broncos are also one of the most penalized offenses in the league, with 14 penalties.“He’s going to connect on a lot of those. … [And] I’m sure watching the tape [there are things to fix]. But one of the things that’s a gift is his off-schedule throws, but you just want to be careful how much you tell him. When you settle into certain plays, there’s a rhythm in the mechanics. … But overall, I think [the ball] is coming off well.”
Sean Payton
Despite being eighth in rushing yards per game (129.0), they are 20th in attempts. Payton attributes this to the lack of an offensive rhythm and an “identity” that the team has yet to find, and points out that it is the coaches’ responsibility to help establish it.
The Broncos will face the Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) on Monday night at Empower Field at Mile High.“Ultimately, you want to go out there and connect on every single one,” Nix said about the missed big plays. “I haven’t played a game yet where I’ve connected on all of them. But I’m working on it, and I feel confident that one day I’ll be able to go out there and do it. And that might be crazy of me, but I really believe that.”
Bo Nix
