Denver Broncos Bo Nix was very smooth on Friday night.
That was the biggest takeaway from the Broncos second preseason game.
Also, the defense gave up too many rush yards, and Denver’s depth is somewhat shaky. But Nix was the highlight.
Bo Nix on being back: It was very smooth
Bo Nix was relaxed, confident and in control on Friday night.
It was a near-perfect start for Nix, who was in his first game action since breaking his ankle last January.
There were two goals for Nix in the Week 2 preseason game; don’t get hurt, and make some positive plays.
That, he did.
On the team’s first drive of the game, Nix led the offense 65 yards in 6 plays with ease.
The biggest play of the game came when the third-year quarterback dropped back and unleashed the ball 20 yards in the air to Jaylen Waddle over the middle of the field. Waddle, the new superstar receiver Denver acquired in trade, stopped to catch the ball, then turned it up field for a total of a 35-yard gain.
“A good play,” Waddle said of the 35-yard connection. “Not just by me, from the O-line, obviously the quarterback and all the receivers. … I get the ball, but it’s much more than me just making a play.”
It wasn’t just that it was the first explosive play from Nix to Waddle, but it also came on 3rd and 5. It was a crucial first down conversion that moved the chains and kept the momentum in Denver’s favor.
Three plays later, again on 3rd down, Nix calmly dropped back and dropped the ball in a bucket for RJ Harvey, who caught the Broncos only touchdown of the game.
Nix looked in midseason form
Yes, it was only preseason. And maybe the Packers defense isn’t going to be that great without Micah Parsons for the fist quarter of the season.
But Bo Nix looked like he was in midseason form last night.
That’s a huge improvement from his first two years, when he started each season roughly.
Last night he played with extreme confidence, whether being pressured—he dropped back and evaded pressure on one play to find Jonah Coleman on a pass—or throwing the touchdown to Harvey.
“I think the strongest emotion was when I got out there it was just like riding a bike; nothing really changed,” Nix said after the game.
“It was very smooth, very easy to get back out there and go,” Nix said. “Honestly, the other 10 guys in the huddle made it pretty easy for me as well. Just going out there, and doing my job and treating it like a practice rep.”
That was what stood out the most to me.
Nix made it look like he was out there in practice rather than in a game situation. He looked in complete control of the offense, knowing exactly where everyone was supposed to be and then fed them the football.
That really stood out on the touchdown throw to Harvey. He dropped back cooly, even waited half a second for Harvey to gain separation, then threw an absolute dime to the running back for the touchdown.
Just too easy.
Last year, Harvey caught five touchdowns from Nix out of the backfield. He emerged as a phenomenal pass catching threat and that looks to continue into his sophomore season.
And then the Broncos added Waddle to the arsenal, too.
In comparison to 2024, Denver’s receivers and playmakers are more numerous and more experienced going into 2026. So is Nix.
This is Year 3 for Bo Nix, and the pressure is on. He needs to lead his team offensively and help them win in the playoffs yet again. And that means avoiding the usual slow start, both in the season as well as individual games.
Nix has always been clutch in the fourth quarter, but the Broncos can’t rely on winning 12 games this year by coming from behind. They need to get a lead and continue to put pressure on the opposing defense the entire game.
When Friday’s game was over, he went 6-9 for 76 yards and the touchdown. He played in two drives, each of them ending in points.
Despite the loss, it’s all good going into the final week of preseason.