Payton takes blame for Nix's mistakes: Broncos look to improve

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado – Following the season opener, where Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw two interceptions and lost his first fumble since 2021, coach Sean Payton took responsibility.

I don’t know how many games I’ve coached, but this one made me think: ‘Man, I have to improve a lot,'” Payton said on Wednesday. “… If you’re not careful, the game can end and you’re already thinking about the next one, without having done a proper analysis. We’re really trying to pay attention to that.”
Sean Payton

Payton revealed that he has reevaluated the game plan from the 20-12 victory over the Tennessee Titans, analyzing the decisions he made when sending plays to Nix in various situations. Aside from the turnovers, Nix completed 25 of 40 passes for 176 yards.

Bo Nix tuvo dos intercepciones y perdió un balón suelto en la victoria contra los Titans, pero el entrenador Sean Payton fue quien asumió la culpa. 'Hombre, tengo que mejorar mucho', dijo Payton. — Bo Nix tuvo dos intercepciones y perdió un balón suelto en la victoria contra los Titans, pero el entrenador Sean Payton fue quien asumió la culpa. ‘Hombre, tengo que mejorar mucho’, dijo Payton.

Denver was losing 12-10 at the start of the third quarter. Nix made 22 pass attempts in the first half, while the Broncos’ running backs only had seven carries for 24 yards in that same period.

If you analyze the distances and the marks, some of the plays, from the perspective of time, are more of the first plays, in the first half,” Payton said. “And it’s about polishing some details.”
Sean Payton

Nix also commented on his performance.

“I want to go out and score points,” Nix said. “… I know I can improve a lot.”
Bo NixIncluding a loose ball on special teams, the Broncos accumulated four turnovers in the game. Payton pointed out that Denver was the only NFL team that won in Week 1 despite losing the turnover battle. The Titans had five possessions that started inside the Broncos’ 50-yard line, but only managed three field goals. Nix admitted that he may have been too aggressive on each interception, but that he seeks to maintain “the thin line” between taking care of the ball with a solid defense like the Broncos’ and seeking explosive plays on offense.
“It’s not about statistics, or perfection, or external things,” Nix said. “It’s about a standard I have for myself. … With our defense, we can make sure, sometimes, to give them a great field position and we’ll get the ball back and we can keep working.”
Bo Nix
Denver will face the Colts (1-0) in their next game, a team that forced three turnovers in their 33-8 victory over the Miami Dolphins. Nix expressed his gratitude for Payton’s support, but emphasized his responsibility for the errors.
Ultimately, you have the ball. You have the final say on where it goes,” Nix said. “… It’s good to know that [Payton] will do everything he can to be the best for this team.”
Bo Nix