Denver, CO

Broncos QB Bo Nix remains optimistic after shaky rookie debut

Published

1 year ago

September 11, 2024

Broncos QB Bo Nix remains optimistic after shaky rookie debut

Bo Nix searches for the beauty behind the madness of his rookie debut.

The Broncos starting quarterback doesn’t dwell on the two interceptions or throwing for only 138 yards on 42 attempts in the loss to Seattle in Week 1. Nix takes pride in the good moments–even if those were few–with the hope of a better outcome on Sunday against the Steelers.

“It was a great game of learning,” said an optimistic Nix after Wednesday’s practice. “I think the film was positive. When you (go) back, you see there were opportunities and we just gotta capitalize in a few more areas.”

Two scoring drives on Sunday is one of the reasons Nix is confident that he can produce better results moving forward. In the final seconds of the second quarter, Nix made a back shoulder pass to wide receiver Josh Reynolds for a 25-yard gain to set up a 45-yard field goal from kicker Wil Lutz.

The Broncos were desperate for points in the fourth quarter when Nix engineered a 7-play, 54-yard scoring drive. Positioned at Seattle’s 14, Nix completed a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton on a slant route before scrambling for a 4-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 26-20 with 2:17 left in regulation.

“Those moments were critical in the game,” Nix said. “They provided points and big opportunities. Our two two-minute drives actually turned into 10 points. We just have to find more ways to do that the rest of the time.”

Nix’s accuracy was questionable, as he was off-target on a handful of throws. But his mobility was impressive. He finished five carries for 35 yards (seven yards per attempt), drawing praise from Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin.

“I was somewhat surprised by his quarterback mobility,” Tomlin told reporters on Tuesday. “I thought he was highly effective.”

Across the league, rookie quarterbacks had their fair share of growing pains in Week 1. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, the first overall pick, went 14 for 29 with 93 yards and a passer rating of 55.7 in the win over Tennessee.

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels, the second overall pick, had the best performance out of the three quarterbacks, completing 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards while rushing for 88 and two scores.

That’s not an excuse for Nix’s performance. It’s a reminder to have patience.

Inside the visiting locker room in Seattle, Sutton approached Nix to offer words of encouragement. He reminded his teammate of the constant momentum swings in the NFL, and not every game is going to be his masterpiece.

“Bo is a student of the game,” Sutton said. “I’m sure he has his things that he took from the game that he wants back and things that he thought he did well that he wants to continue to progress on. There’s a lot of hope and promise moving forward.”

Sutton said Nix did a good job of staying composed in a hostile environment and handling the flow of the game. Head coach Sean Payton shared similar sentiments. From an operational standpoint, Payton said the offense ran smoothly.

Nix said nothing surprised him about his debut. He thought the offense was efficient with the play calls in the huddle and didn’t let the crowd noise affect them.

“We just have to be louder on the cadence, but I thought other than that, guys lined up correctly (and) we didn’t (really) have mental errors,” Nix said. “On the road like that, that’ll save you a lot of extra yards.”

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Denver, CO

What drivers will face traveling into mountains near Denver on I-70 amid Floyd Hill bridge building

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1 hour ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

What drivers will face traveling into mountains near Denver on I-70 amid Floyd Hill bridge building

Drivers heading west from metro Denver into the mountains on Interstate 70 on Monday and Tuesday face overnight closures, and 20-minute stops through Thursday at the base of Floyd Hill, the latest traffic disruptions for bridge building as part of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s $800 million reconstruction of I-70 through Clear Creek Canyon.

The nighttime closures this week, scheduled from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m., are planned around the I-70/U.S. 6 interchange at exit 244 and include on- and off-ramps.

Drivers also should expect to wait at 20-minute stops multiple times per day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on I-70 starting Monday, and continuing through Thursday, according to a CDOT notice.

But officials said there would be no planned traffic disruptions during the holidays from Dec. 20 to Jan. 5.

CDOT contractors will be blasting rock in the canyon above eastbound and westbound I-70 between the Veterans Memorial Tunnels and the Homestead Road interchange near Idaho Springs. And drivers may face intermittent traffic stops along the Central City Parkway, County Road 314, U.S. 6, and U.S. 40, CDOT officials said.

CDOT contractors are building a temporary framework to support their upcoming construction of a concrete bridge on I-70. When it’s done, the bridge will carry westbound drivers through a new route that CDOT officials say will be safer and improve traffic flows through the canyon, which long has loomed as a bottleneck.

The rebuilt highway, with an added westbound express toll lane, eventually will carry drivers through a widened canyon on viaducts 115 feet above Clear Creek. This safer route, designed to improve visibility for drivers, is expected to allow speeds of 55 miles per hour in areas now marked 45 mph.

Depending on the weather this week, disruptive construction work may shift to Wednesday and Thursday, CDOT officials said.

The I-70 Floyd Hill Project involves about eight miles of I-70 in the mountainous area between Evergreen and the eastern edge of Idaho Springs. CDOT officials have promised that, as part of the project, they’ll improve the Clear Creek Greenway trail and ensure safer routes for wildlife.

Construction began in July 2023. The project is expected to conclude in 2029.

Drivers learn more by calling CDOT at 720-994-2368 or by texting floydhill to 21000 and signing up for text alerts. CDOT officials also said information about weather, road conditions, and travel impacts is available at COtrip.org.

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Denver, CO

Where do Packers stand in NFC playoff picture after loss in Denver?

Published

13 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Where do Packers stand in NFC playoff picture after loss in Denver?

The Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) dropped from first to second in the NFC North and from the second seed to the seventh seed in the NFC after losing to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Significant injuries suffered against the Broncos will mean lasting implications are felt past Sunday. The Packers are also now a long shot to catch the Los Angeles Rams for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and it’ll take a win next Saturday night in Chicago to retake control in the NFC North.

But the Packers are still in a good spot in terms of making the postseason field, especially after the Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys all lost on Sunday.

NFC playoff picture after Week 15

Los Angeles Rams (11-3, 6-3 vs. NFC)
Chicago Bears (10-4, 6-3 vs. NFC)
Philadelphia Eagles (9-5, 7-3 vs. NFC)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7, 5-5 vs. NFC)
Seattle Seahawks (11-3, 6-3 vs. NFC)
San Francisco 49ers (10-4, 8-2 vs. NFC)
Green Bay Packers (9-4-1, 7-2-1 vs. NFC)

Others: Lions (8-6), Panthers (7-7), Cowboys (6-7-1)

According to The Athletic’s NFL playoff simulator, the Packers have a 92 percent chance of making the postseason with three weeks to go. They become all but guaranteed of a playoff spot if they can beat the Bears in Chicago in Week 16. In fact, just one win over the final three weeks could be enough for the Packers to get in.

The NFC North winner looks like a coinflip. The Athletic’s model gives the Packers a 48 percent chance of winning the division right now, and it would go up to 82 percent with a win over the Bears on Saturday. Chicago took down the Cleveland Browns with ease in bitter cold temps at Soldier Field on Sunday.

The Athletic’s model also gives the Packers a 98 percent chance of being the No. 2 seed if Matt LaFleur’s team can win out. That will be much easier said than done without Micah Parsons (and potentially Christian Watson) down the stretch.

Two very possibilities for the Packers: Win the NFC North and host the Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round, or get in as the No. 7 seed and go to Chicago to play the Bears in the NFC Wild Card Round. A third round of the rivalry is increasingly possible in January.

Packers remaining games

Nothing easy here. The Bears, Ravens and Vikings all won Sunday. The Bears and Ravens won comfortably; the Vikings upset the Cowboys — who desperately needed to win — in Dallas. The Bears and Ravens are both playing to win division titles. The Vikings are a dangerously talented spoiler team, and winning at U.S. Bank Stadium is never easy. The Athletic’s model gives the Packers roughly a 40 percent chance of making the postseason even with an 0-3 finish. The Lions are the biggest threat to pass the Packers in the event they finish 0-3.

It appears the Packers can clinch a playoff spot next week with a win over the Bears and a Steelers win over the Lions.

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Denver, CO

Packers vs. Broncos Week 15 Game Discussion Thread

Published

1 day ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Packers vs. Broncos Week 15 Game Discussion Thread

It’s time for the AFC’s #1 team to meet the NFC’s #2. Today the Denver Broncos host the Green Bay Packers in a key late-season inter-conference matchup that could have playoff seeding implications for both teams.

In Denver, the Broncos will be trying to hold on to the top spot in the AFC and keep their impressive win streak rolling. Denver has won ten straight games, some of them in fairly ridiculous fashion, but they sit at 11-2, sharing the top record in the NFL with the New England Patriots, who are just behind them in the playoff picture based on conference record.

The Packers, meanwhile, want to hold on to the lead in the NFC North before they have their rematch with the Chicago Bears next Saturday night. Green Bay sits behind only the Los Angeles Rams in the playoff race in the NFC, and they want to return to the Central time zone with that lead intact.

Join us here at Acme Packing Company to discuss today’s game, and Go Pack Go!

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