There’s no better way to evaluate a win or loss than by reviewing the game tape, in our latest Denver Broncos film room we take a look at some of Bo Nix’s highs and lows. Where did some things go wrong for him in his regular season debut and what can he do better going forward?
Denver Broncos film room highlights Bo Nix’s highs and lows
Nix’s debut didn’t go how he, you, I, or anybody in Broncos Country imagined, as the team fell 26-20 on Sunday. While the film highlights some of Nix’s good moments, there are a lot of areas he can clean up, and some areas where the play and structure around him can help him out more.
Bo Nix to Devaughn Vele on 3rd and 9
The Broncos offense found themselves facing third and long quite a bit during Sunday’s game. On this play, Seattle’s defense stays in zone coverage, emphasizing taking away deep options from Courtland Sutton, Greg Dulcich, and Josh Reynolds. Rookie receiver Devaughn Vele chip releases against a defender and drags underneath where Nix makes the right read to connect with him. Unfortunately, the underneath route was the only thing open, and Seattle’s defense rallied and tackled it in front of the sticks.
Nix’s third down pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey is dropped
The Broncos offense faces a third and short on this play. Denver has a trips formation to the defensive right side with Reynolds lined up as the number one receiver, Dulcich as the number two, and Lil’Jordan Humphrey as the number three receiver. Reynolds runs a hitch, while Dulcich runs a slot fade up the sideline, and Humphrey runs an option route a few yards past the sticks. Nix does a great job of getting the ball out to Humphrey where it hits him right in the hands, unfortunately it’s dropped and ends a drive, halting any potential momentum.
Nix’s misses Sutton on a throw across the deep middle
Seattle thrived in zone coverage on Sunday. In particular, I love the play design and setup for this play. It’s there for the taking for Nix, who has time to make this throw. This was one of the handful of plays in which it felt like Nix pressed a little too much. Sutton and Reynolds are on the bottom of the screen, with Reynolds running vertically across the field, drawing the attention of the two middle safeties. Devon Witherspoon is playing outside leverage against Sutton’s route, which has a vertical release, eventually breaking in on a post where he gets separation inside and is open. Nix sails the pass over Sutton, where Witherspoon almost intercepts it.
Nix finds Sutton on a scramble drill
Nix does a great job on this play of finding the open option. Sutton runs across against zone coverage and finds the soft spot once Nix steps up, which gives Seattle’s defense the impression that he’s going to tuck it and run. Seattle’s linebacker is forced to come up in support, which leaves Sutton open for the conversion. This is a good example of Nix using his mobility to make plays.
Nix throws his first interception
This is a play that Nix would love to have back. Denver has some pressure come inside from #99 while he’s drifting back, and he floats it off of his back foot into double coverage, where it gets intercepted. Realistically, there is no route here that is open, and the best-case scenario would have been to throw it away. Fortunately, Denver’s defense forced a safety on the very next play.
Josh Reynolds hauls in Nix’s backshoulder throw
This throw was Nix’s best throw of the day right before halftime. He rips this throw down the left sideline to Reynolds who does a great job body adjusting to it, picking up a large gain through the air. Protection on this play was solid, Nix sets his feet and operates cleanly.
Nix’s second interception of the day
Nix’s second interception on Sunday was another example of him pressing and trying to force the ball into a window to try and generate a spark for the offense. Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect, with the defensive back intercepting it. You can see the play develop and see initially where and why he was looking at Sutton, but Seattle’s length in the secondary and their speed closed the gap quickly.
Overall, Nix has a lot of things that he can clean up, and there are a lot of things around him that can improve, too, that force the pressure off of him. It won’t be easy as the Pittsburgh Steelers come to town.