Bo Nix balled out on Sunday Night in the Denver Broncos thrilling 27-26 win over the Washington Commanders.
The Broncos quarterback led the team on a 2-minute touchdown drive before half, pulled off an incredible touchdown throw in the third quarter, and again pushed the team downfield for a much-needed touchdown in overtime.
Nix wasn’t perfect, but he was very good in the nail-biting victory.
Bo Nix balled out, did enough to beat the Commanders
When the dust settled and the Broncos won, Bo Nix went 29-45 (64.4%) for 321 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
It was Nix’s first career 300-yard passing game on the road, proving he was up to the task when the lights were the brightest and the national TV cameras were pointed at him.
He started the game off strong, mixing short and intermediate passes before settling for a field goal. Still, that’s now back-to-back weeks the Broncos have scored on their opening drive; they had only done so twice in the previous 10 games.
Denver’s third drive was nearly a mirror image of that opening one; they went 56 yards and kicked home another field goal. It even included a smart 4th down conversion call by Sean Payton.
Then, with the Broncos trailing 7-6, Nix the the offense took the ball with 2:21 until halftime. Cris Collinsworth, who seemed to be watching Nix for one of his first times, argued Payton should see what he has in the young kid during the 2-minute drill. Uh, duh.
Nix went 8-10 on the drive and connected with five different receivers, including Courtland Sutton on the go-ahead touchdown. The play was so special, Collinsworth even compared him to Patrick Mahomes.
Everything from the step up in the pocket to the throw just before his knee touched down was special. He even put the ball exactly where it needed to be. Denver took the 13-7 lead into the break.
“End of half, end of game, you know, those critical moments—that was an amazing throw,” Sean Payton said after the win. “We were worried his knee was down, but he had good poise, good command. Was smart.”
Just like in the second quarter, when the Commanders scored a touchdown, Nix drove his team to answer immediately. A more run-heavy drive included the QB’s only deep ball of the night, a 31-yarder to Sutton. R.J. Harvey capped it off with the score.
Ironically, Nix wasn’t his usual dynamic self in the fourth quarter. He started it off with a silly interception and the Broncos punted three more times when they needed to milk the clock.
Luckily, Bo Nix balled out in overtime. He went a perfect 4-4 for 71 yards and a 118.8 rating in the extra period. Again, Harvey capped the drive off with the needed touchdown to put the pressure on the Commanders to match.
“You know, they won the toss, that’s fine,” Payton said after the game. “But being able to go down the field and score flips the pressure.”
Thanks to a second straight game of great play from Nix—and phenomenal defense most of last night—the Broncos held off the Commanders and improved to 10-2. They’re currently the No. 1 seed in the AFC with the Patriots set to play the Giants tonight. A win for New England would move the Pats back into first at 11-2.