Bo Nix, Denver Broncos start ‘an important month of football’

For the 11th time in the NFL’s Super Bowl era on Sunday, a quarterback threw at least 25 passes and had no more than 60 passing yards in a game. But the Denver Broncos’ Bo Nix walked off the field with something none of the other quarterbacks in the group got – a victory.

The Broncos defeated the New York Jets 10-9 to even their record at 2-2 with the rookie under center.

The former Pinson Valley High School and Auburn QB also came away from the game with the first touchdown pass of his NFL career.

“It’ll be at the house,” Nix said of the ball from the milestone. “Hopefully, it’ll be up for a while. Until my wife gets tired of it, I guess.”

Nix completed 13-of-25 passes for 60 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against the Jets on a rainy day in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

“I think it was a lot to do with the weather,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said, “and I think it impacted both quarterbacks. I’m not making an excuse, but it was different, it was difficult.”

Nix said he thought the weather affected the game “probably a lot.”

“I think some of the call sheets are limited when you have weather like that,” Nix said, “and they can play a little bit more aggressively and things change. But I feel like we adapted well, especially in the second half, and we adjusted, and we found ways to score points when we needed to.”

Nix joined Denver from Oregon as the 12th choice in the NFL Draft on April 25. Through four games, Nix has completed 83-of-138 passes for 660 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions and run for 110 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries.

“He’s real sharp with his location,” Payton said of Nix, “and I would say that’s something that’s been pretty consistent long before he arrived here. He’s doing a good job getting through his progressions, where he’s going. I like what I’ve seen.”

But October will tell the tale on Nix and the Broncos for 2024, Payton said.

“There’s really not this plateau,” Payton said. “You’re getting better or you’re it’s the other, so this is an important month of football. …

“The execution, the details still have to get better with younger players, and that’s what we’re working on. I’ve said this before: If everyone else canpaint the right picture, then you truly get to evaluate and watch a real good quarterback. It’s that mix of running game, passing game, third down. It gets back to this month — ascending or going the other way. We’ve got to be stepping on the gas right now.”

The October schedule starts for Denver on Sunday, when the Las Vegas Raiders visit at 3:05 p.m. CDT for the Broncos’ first AFC West game of the season. Including two playoff games, Sunday’s contest will be Denver’s 130th against the Raiders.

“I’ve been able to get a sense of it a little bit,” Nix said of the rivalry that started with the founding of the AFL in 1960, “but I don’t think you really truly understand it until you play in your first one. So I’m excited to play Sunday, and I know it’s important for this organization. I know it has been for a long time, and the players, we don’t take it lightly, so we’re going to go out there and compete at a high level, and I know they will, too, so it’s going to be a fun football game.”

The Broncos will wear throwback uniforms honoring the 1977 team when they play Las Vegas.

“I think they’re awesome,” Nix said. “I think anytime you can pay a little tribute to former teams that have come before you and have kind of laid the foundation for the opportunity that you have, I think that’s really important.

“And it’s fun to wear throwbacks. I think that’s always a neat thing that teams are able to do, and ours are pretty cool.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.