Denver, CO

Bo Nix Explains Why Broncos ‘Played Motivated’ in Upset Win Over Bucs

Published

4 days ago

September 23, 2024

Bo Nix Explains Why Broncos ‘Played Motivated’ in Upset Win Over Bucs

Bo Nix just made a statement. It wasn’t of the 300-yard, multi-touchdown sort, but the Denver Broncos rookie quarterback definitely communicated that he belongs in the NFL.

The Broncos rolled into Raymond James Stadium on Sunday and stunned the league by thumping the heretofore undefeated Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-7. The score makes plain that it wasn’t even close, but what the final tally doesn’t tell you is how Nix jumped on the Bucs defense early and never let up.

Nix finished with 216 passing yards, completing 69.4% of his passes, and earned an 85.0 QB rating. Although he didn’t pass for a touchdown, he did rush for one, and finished with 47 yards on the ground, putting him near the 300 mark for the day in total offense. Nine different receivers caught a pass in Tampa.

The Broncos showed modest improvement on third down, and converted 2-of-3 fourth-down tries. And in the red zone, Nix and company hit pay-dirt on 2-of-4 drives. 50% in the red zone isn’t phenomenal, but it’s a vast improvement over the Broncos’ production in the first two games.

Nix ma still be looking for the first passing touchdown of his NFL career, but he’s now broken the ice in the win column. That winless monkey is off the rookie’s back.

At the podium post-game, Nix explained that he’s doing his best to enjoy the only moment in his life in which he won his first game — with many more to come.

“Well, I’ve got to [enjoy it]. You only get this moment one time and it’s not easy winning games in this league,” Nix said from the podium. “Our guys deserve this. Our guys have earned this. We have a great team that really battled in there.”

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Nix has learned the hard way that winning in the NFL isn’t easy. Each and every victory is an achievement. The Broncos’ two losses this season were both by a single score. Close but no cigar.

This time, Nix made sure to put some distance between the Broncos and the Bucs.

“We were one possession away in both of the first two games so, just to do what we were able to do today against a really good football team, it gives us a little bit of confidence moving forward,” Nix said. “[It’s] still a long season, but you have to enjoy these wins when they’re here, and it’s a great first win.”

This time around, Nix and company were able to get off to a fast start. Nix began with a 22-yard back-shoulder strike to Courtland Sutton, which was followed by a 31-yard completion to Josh Reynolds two plays later, setting the Broncos up in scoring position.

Nix would punctuate that opening drive with a rushing score. It shows why Sean Payton and NFL coaches at large emphasize starting fast.

“When you start the game with an explosive pass play, you get ‘Court’ involved early, you win a one-on-one, you flip the field in one play—it opens it up for a coordinator,” Nix said. “I thought Coach Payton did a good job of going right back to it. We hit Josh [Reynolds] on the other side and then we get points and we get a touchdown on that first drive. That’s really important to start explosive, but you can’t just hit one. You have to come back and continue to finish out drives. It was good to see that on the first one.”

Not every drive ended with a touchdown, obviously, but the Broncos got points on six drives. Two touchdowns and four field goals. It was reminiscent of how the offense looked with Nix at the helm during the preseason.

Following Nix’s first win, the Broncos locker room was jubilant. Sunday evening was the time for celebration because soon enough, the Broncos have to dive back into game mode with another East Coast road test.

“Oh, it was great. Before the game, we wanted to hear the music and have a party. We played motivated today,” Nix said. “We went out there and executed at a high level. I think that’s what it’s supposed to feel like. You get back in the locker room and everybody is really excited.”

A lot of effort goes into each and every game. So much hard work, discipline, and preparation. For it to pay off with a victory is the ultimate triumph, even if it is short-lived.

“You put so much into the week,” Nix said. “You put so much effort, time [and] energy [in]. Those are what those moments are about. That’s what you want to get to. You want to get to those post-game celebrations.”

Broncos Country is hoping that Nix and company are able to celebrate much more often as the 2024 season marches on.

Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!

Source link

Denver, CO

Broadway in downtown Denver shut down for more than an hour during morning rush, but nobody knows why

Published

2 hours ago

September 26, 2024

Press Room

Broadway in downtown Denver shut down for more than an hour during morning rush, but nobody knows why

Broadway shut down for more than an hour during morning rush

00:22

Slow traffic on Broadway isn’t unusual on weekday mornings, but Thursday was particularly frustrating for drivers as they approached the state Capitol. Despite a sign warning of only an approaching left lane closure, it turns out the entire street was closed between Colfax and 14th Street.

Broadway was closed from approximately 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Denver police officers routed drivers east and west on Colfax to get around the closure.

Broadway was shut down in downtown Denver but nobody seems to know why.

CBS

CBS News Colorado asked the Denver Police Department why Broadway was closed, but the media relations unit told us they had no calls for service and that perhaps the closure was due to an event. CBS News Colorado checked with the Civic Center Conservancy, but they were unaware of any events on Thursday morning.

DOTI, which is Denver’s Department of Traffic and Infrastructure, has not yet responded to requests for information. Neither has RTD, which operates the Civic Center Station a block-and-a-half away.

Colorado State Patrol has jurisdiction over the state Capitol, but they also had no knowledge of the closure.

CBS News Colorado will continue to seek answers, but it’s looking like this closure may remain a mystery.

Laura Phillips

Laura Phillips is the Managing Editor at CBS News Colorado. She oversees the station’s daily news coverage and works closely with the reporters.

Source link

Denver, CO

Broncos 2024 NFL power rankings tracker: How national experts rank Denver entering Week 4

Published

13 hours ago

September 26, 2024

Press Room

Broncos 2024 NFL power rankings tracker: How national experts rank Denver entering Week 4

It took six games, but the Broncos finally won a game in September under head coach Sean Payton.

Denver beat Tampa, 26-7, on Sunday and for the first time all season, every aspect of the team seemed to be clicking. The defense came up with a season-high seven sacks and a pair of takeaways. And running back Tyler Badie may be the answer to the team’s stagnant run game.

Now, can they replicate that performance against the Jets on Sunday?

Here’s a look at how various national experts rated the Broncos in their power rankings entering Week 4:

The Athletic (No. 28) | Last week: No. 30

“Bo Nix was Sunday’s best rookie quarterback”

“And he’s been the second-best this season. The competition is not as tough as we imagined it would be in April, but still. Nix is second among all quarterbacks this season in rushing (107 yards) and was efficient from the pocket Sunday as Denver got its first win. With Caleb Williams’ struggles, Nix is behind only Jayden Daniels in terms of rookie quarterback value so far,” Josh Kendall writes. See the full rankings.

Bleacher Report (No. 27) | Last week: No. 30

“The first two professional starts for rookie quarterback Bo Nix of the Broncos were rough. But Sunday in Tampa, the former Oregon and Auburn standout gave Denver fans some signs of what the future might hold under center in the Mile High City.” See the full rankings.

CBS Sports (No. 22) | Last week: No. 30

“Sean Payton showed he owns the Bucs with Todd Bowles as coach. That was a clinic. Bo Nix is getting better,” Pete Prisco writes. See the full rankings.

ESPN (No. 27) | Last week: No. 30

“Coach Sean Payton admitted it has been difficult finding a running back rotation that works, especially if Tyler Badie’s flashes are a sign of something bigger. Badie leads the team’s backs with 86 yards on only 10 carries, while Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin are each averaging just 2.2 yards per carry. Much like we saw from Badie in training camp, he patiently waits for openings before popping a big run — such as the 43-yarder in Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers. But Payton has said he typically leans on two-back rotations, whether it’s ‘right, wrong or indifferent.’ Trying to kick-start an inconsistent run game with three backs has proved challenging,” Jeff Legwold writes. See the full rankings.

NFL.com (No. 22) | Last week: No. 30

“Bo Nix played his best NFL game, top to bottom, and he looked remarkably comfortable at times — especially compared to the more chaotic feel the offense had in Weeks 1 and 2. The offensive line protected Nix well, and he made quality snap decisions and delivered very catchable balls more often than not. The run game did just enough, thanks to Nix’s scrambling, Jaleel McLaughlin’s miracle TD early and Tyler Badie’s fine work in the fourth quarter. And how about Denver’s defense? Patrick Surtain II clamped down on Mike Evans, and the front pressured Baker Mayfield relentlessly, to the tune of seven sacks and 18 pressures, per Next Gen Stats. Mayfield threw 33 times, but the longest pass play Denver allowed was for just 13 yards. This win was much-needed after the Broncos let a pair of close games slip away to start the year,” Eric Edholm writes. See the full rankings.

Pro Football Focus (No. 28) | Last week: No. 27

“The Broncos got off the mark in the win column with a competent and convincing win against the Buccaneers, with rookie quarterback Bo Nix earning a 74.1 grade. The defense has been equally impressive through three games and is eighth in EPA per play allowed (-0.173),” Thomas Valentine writes. See the full rankings.

Pro Football Talk (No. 21) | Last week: No. 29

“Well, now things are getting interesting,” Mike Florio writes. See the full rankings.

Sports Illustrated (No. 27) | Last week: No. 31

“I appreciated Sean Payton’s willingness to take the ball off the coin toss and place the game on Bo Nix’s shoulders. Nix has had by far the most ruthless start for rookie quarterbacks in terms of opponents — Seattle, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and the Jets in Week 4 — and he has turned in two close losses and Sunday’s win,” Conor Orr writes. See the full rankings.

USA Today (No. 22) | Last week: No. 30

“Maybe they’re due a little more respect after facing three teams with a combined 8-1 record, the lone loss the Broncos’ shocking shellacking of the Bucs on Sunday,” Nate Davis writes. See the full rankings.

Yahoo! Sports (No. 28) | Last week: No. 30

“Running back Tyler Badie had 70 yards on nine carries Sunday. Javonte Williams has 52 yards on 24 carries through three games. Bo Nix had a nice breakout Sunday. He still needs support from the run game, and maybe Badie will be the next man up for that job,” Frank Schwab writes. See the full rankings.

Want more Broncos news? Sign up for the Broncos Insider to get all our NFL analysis.

Originally Published: September 26, 2024 at 5:45 a.m.

Source link