Denver, CO
‘I’ve got to be better’: Despite key win, Broncos’ Bo Nix laments three-interception performance
DENVER — When the Denver Broncos finished out a wobbly 31-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts at Empower Field at Mile High, rookie quarterback Bo Nix acknowledged the Broncos clinching the team’s first winning season since 2016 and being in prime position to make the playoffs for the first time since winning Super Bowl 50 to close out the 2015 season.
“It speaks to our team,” Nix said. ” … Good teams respond to days like [Sunday], playoff teams find a way to win.”
But Nix was just as quick to say that he must learn from and improve from of the erratic performance he had against the Colts, especially with three more regular-season games and probably the playoffs approaching, as the Broncos have a 94% chance to qualify for the postseason according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
Despite hitting the three-touchdown-pass mark for the third time in his young NFL career on Sunday, Nix threw three interceptions in a game for the first time as a professional. They were part of a day in which the rookie went 20-of-33 for 130 yards, his second-lowest output of the season, and the Broncos could only muster 193 yards of total offense.
The casual observer might look at the 18-point margin of victory and the 21-point fourth-quarter barrage and assume everything went well. But that’s not the lens through which Nix viewed his performance on Sunday.
“Not going to lie it’s tough. You start getting in your head, start questioning … am I actually seeing it?” Nix said. “I feel like everybody goes through it, those who can get themselves out of it, finish the game and win … that’s usually when you find some maturity, some growth.
“It’s not the first time I’ve thrown three in a game … [but] hopefully it’s the last.”
Nix and the Broncos’ offense will have to move on quickly. They face the 8-6 Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium. Not only would the Broncos, who are currently in the No. 6 spot in the AFC playoff field, clinch a wild-card berth with a win, but they could put a little room between themselves and the Chargers, who are in the No. 7 spot and have a previous head-to-head win over Denver.
The first order of business heading into Thursday night is to re-settle Nix in an offense that has seen some struggles the past two games despite Denver winning both contests. Nix threw two interceptions in a 10-game stretch spanning Weeks 3 through 12 but has thrown five picks in the Broncos’ past two games.
Nix said Sunday one of the keys will be for him to avoid turning one mistake into multiple gaffes.
“I’ve got to be better … regardless that’s three [interceptions], you start feeling like every time I throw it is it going to get picked? You start having those mental thoughts, it’s challenging,” Nix said. “It’s probably the toughest part of playing the position … don’t let one turn into a false vision and see things that aren’t actually there.”
Nix’s performance on Sunday was the repeat of a pattern, as the interception that ended his first series set him up for a difficult day. That’s happened to him a few times already this season, most notably in Week 1 against Seattle — where an early second-quarter interception was the first of two he threw — and in Week 9 against the Ravens, as an interception he threw on the first play of the game set the stage for a 41-10 thumping by Baltimore.
For his part, Payton said some of the blame for Sunday’s struggles falls on him as the playcaller. The Broncos’ run game was ornamental at best, with just nine carries by the running backs in the first half and 49 yards rushing by three running backs in the game despite windy conditions that made passing tricky.
“I get mad at myself, couple of the calls I gave him,” Payton said. “He had one read that he knows better, but look it was just one of those nights when weren’t as efficient, especially against a zone defense like that … there were just few forced throws and a few dumb calls by me that I’ve got to be better.”
The Broncos and Nix must improve, as they face a tricky conclusion to their season. After the Chargers, the Broncos finish off with two more AFC opponents, Week 17 at Cincinnati (6-8) after a mini-bye and Week 18 against AFC West champion Kansas City (13-1). Both the Chargers (No. 7 in pass defense) and Chiefs (No. 13) will present challenges to Nix and the Broncos, at 5-4 in the AFC, need more conference wins for potential tiebreak scenarios.
There have been many great offensive linemen in Denver Broncos history, so this list is likely going to vary greatly from person to person. In fact, my take might be a little too bold, but I’m sticking with it.
At the top spot, I think Garett Bolles has earned it. Since coming into the league as a first-round pick in 2017, he has grinded through one of the worst periods in Broncos’ history and grown from beleaguered oft-penalized first-round bust into a perennial All-Pro caliber left tackle. Even more, he has stayed a Bronco through his entire career. The rest of my list speaks for itself and is a throwback to Super Bowl greatness.
Here’s where our Mile High Report staff landed on the top five for offensive line:
Scotty Payne: Tom Nalen was the leader of Mike Shanahan’s offensive line, Ryan Clady was a top LT on a Hall of Fame career before injury and Stink was a key member of the Broncos Super Bowl winning OL back in the 90s. I included Bolles and Meinerz since both will be on this list once their successful careers are over with.
Chris Hart: This position group was one of the toughest to come up with a top five. Denver has an incredible history of top-tier offensive lineman. There are several players I left off who were certainly deserving. I posted Tom Nalen as my top guy because he was a stalwart at the pivot for many years for the franchise. We all know what Gary Zimmerman and Mark Schlereth provided on the field and they are both Super Bowl champions. The last two spots go to two recent Broncos, left tackles Garret Bolles and Ryan Clady. Bolles, a decade into his career, continues to play at a high level and Clady was a fantastic blindside protector whose career ended earlier than it should due to injury.
Ian St. Clair: For the first time in Elway’s career, he had a blind-side protector. And Zimmerman is one of the best to ever do it. Same for Nalen, who should be in the HOF. Clady was special. Bishop was the first Broncos offensive lineman in franchise history to get a Pro Bowl invite and provided one of the best in-game quotes ever when he said in Denver’s endzone at old Cleveland Stadium before hiking the ball at the 2-yard line in what would become The Drive, “We got ‘em right right where want ‘em.” And Schlereth helped lock down the left side of the line that was one of the best in league history.
Sadaraine: The top 3 are largely indisputable, other than maybe swapping Schlereth and Zimmerman. Ken Lanier started 178 consecutive games, which is nuts for an OT, and appeared in 3 Super Bowls. Garret Bolles has crafted himself into an all-time great at tackle and may move up the list.
Ross Allen: The Hall-of-Famer Gary Zimmerman was everything you could ever ask for in a left tackle and was a huge reason why John Elway and that 1997 team was so dominant. Schlereth also gets his credit as he was a massive contributor to Denver’s Super Bowl successes. There’s a strong case for Tom Nalen deserving a spot in the Hall of Fame too. And for the past two years I’ve become a huge spouter of Bolles being destined for the Ring of Fame. He’s an incredible talent as has been the cornerstone of this team for a while now. I just hope he gets his Super Bowl.
Joe Mahoney: Top 3 are a no-brainer. Bolles will finish his career with more starts on the OL than any other Bronco. The man he will pass is Ken Lanier. Since stats from Lanier’s era don’t exist we only have starts to go off, but Lanier was an iron man. He started 167 NFL games and 165 were for the Broncos.
There is a bit of variation here, but a general consensus of who should be in the Top 5. I loved the throwback to Keith Bishop who was a big part of the John Elway fourth quarter magic back in the day.
Who gets into your top five offensive lineman list?
The Denver Nuggets are running it back with at least one free agent from last year’s team. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Denver Nuggets have re-signed point guard Tyus Jones.
Free agent guard Tyus Jones has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. Jones played a reserve role after joining Denver on the buyout market last season, and enters his 12th NBA season as his agent Kevin Bradbury of LIFT Sports Management… pic.twitter.com/OxPTfX8C7l
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2026
Jones played 11 regular season games for Denver last year and got into 3 post-season contests as well. The Nuggets are desperately lacking in point guards who can handle the rock, especially after they decided not to pick up the fourth-year option on fellow point guard Jalen Pickett. Denver liked Jones and his ability to handle on-ball pressure better in the playoffs, and obviously feel there is utility in having him on the 15-man roster for his passing acumen and mistake avoidance despite being a target at just 6 feet tall. They did not draft a point guard, so it’s possible Jones is the first PG off the bench for the Nuggets – but in recent years they’ve relied on players like Bruce Brown to shoulder some of those duties as well even if they’re not pure point guards, so it remains to be seen just how much court time Jones is going to get.
His 5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio in his career points to his high floor in ball security though, and the Nuggets have proven time and again over the past several years that they can be truly great if they don’t have silly turnovers. Jones comes back to the Mile High looking to help the Nuggets minimize their mistakes so they can maximize their talent.
Welcome back, Tyus!
The Fourth of July weekend is one of the biggest celebrations of the summer, and Denver is delivering a packed lineup of events for every kind of adventurer. Whether you’re looking to watch fireworks light up the Colorado sky, catch a live concert at Red Rocks, enjoy rooftop parties, indulge in seasonal food and drinks or explore the city’s thriving arts and culture scene, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate Independence Day.
Here’s your guide to the best music, food, fireworks, nightlife, arts, and cultural events happening across Denver this Fourth of July weekend.
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Read: Best Rooftops to Watch 4th of July Fireworks + Sip Cocktails in Denver
Read: The Ultimate 4th of July Outdoor Colorado Music Guide
FASHION EVENTS
Denver Fashion Week Fall 2026 Second Model Auditions
Where: TBA
Cost: $10+
The Lowdown:
Following overwhelming demand from aspiring models across Colorado, Denver Fashion Week (DFW) has announced a second round of model auditions for its upcoming Fall/Winter 2026 runway season.
MUSIC EVENTS
Read: The Ultimate 4th of July Outdoor Colorado Music Guide
Gillian Grogan and EMMA ROSE
Where: Skylark Lounge – 140 S. Broadway
Cost: $18+
The Lowdown:
Zeds Dead with Sippy, Baauer, Holly, HYDRAULIX & LUMBERJVCK
Where: Red Rocks Amphitheatre – 18300 W Alameda Pkwy, Morrison
Cost: $205+
The Lowdown:
Flobots
Where: Levitt Pavilion Denver – 1380 W Florida Ave
Cost: $0+
The Lowdown:
Don Toliver with SahBabii, SoFaygo, Chase B
Where: Ball Arena – 1000 Chopper Cir
Cost: $105+
The Lowdown:
FOOD EVENTS
Read: Best Rooftops to Watch 4th of July Fireworks + Sip Cocktails in Denver
Dumpling Love: Dim Sum Party
Where: Stir Cooking School Highlands – 3215 Zuni St.
Cost: $120 per person
The Lowdown:
Join the dumpling party and learn how to make pork bao buns, shrimp shumai, pan-fried gyoza, and crab cheese rangoons. All classes include a full bar with beer, wine, and house-curated cocktails for purchase.
Stars, Stripes, and Deck Nights
Where: Woodie Fisher Kitchen & Bar – 1999 Chestnut Pl.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Celebrate America’s 250th with our festive Bomb Pop Drinks, featuring real Bomb Pops and High Noon buckets!
4th of July Rooftop Fiesta at Cimera
Where: The Source Hotel – 3330 Brighton Blvd.
Cost: $60+
The Lowdown:
The experience is an open rooftop gathering featuring live-fire cooking, craft cocktails, and skyline views throughout the evening. Guests will enjoy Peruvian street skewers, duck & chorizo paella, and ceviche prepared live on-site.
Farmers Market Central Park
Where: Central Park – 29th Ave & Roslyn
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Local vendors provide Colorado-grown produce, tasty baked goods, specialty meats, gourmet food items and more!
LIFESTYLE EVENTS
Mystic Magnolias; A Southern Gothic Cabaret
Where: Colorado Sake Co – 3559 Larimer St
Cost: $25+
The Lowdown:
Saunter yourself out to The Mystic Magnolias, a Burlesque AND Drag Show with chilling charm and dripping in Southern Gothic atmosphere.
America 250 | Colorado 150 Drone Show presented by Visit Denver
Where: DPAC/Denver Performing Arts Complex – 1400 Curtis St.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Following Sunset Cinema’s showing of National Treasure on July 3rd at Sculpture Park, stay to enjoy the 4th of July Drone Show! This special event will be brought to you by Visit Denver, celebrating American 250 | Colorado 150, including an appearance by Mayor Mike Johnston.
Beat The Bomb Summer Mission: America250 Edition
Where: Beat The Bomb – 3863 Steele St, Unit 1273
Cost: $39+
The Lowdown:
Beat The Bomb announces the limited-time-only Summer Mission: America250 Edition – celebrating America’s 250th with five new games, a collectible beach towel, and a red, white, and blue Paint Blast!
Independence Day Concert with Denver Municipal Band (Cheesman Park)
Where: Cheesman Park – 1900 E. 11th Ave.
Cost: Free
The Lowdown:
Price:Free
Join the Denver Municipal Band’s Concert Band for an Independence Day concert at Cheesman Park Pavilion with special guest Denver District 10 City Councilmember Chris Hinds narrating Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait.
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Whether you’re dancing at a concert, enjoying a garden dinner, cheering on your favorite soccer team or exploring a new exhibition, Denver offers plenty of ways to fill your 4th of July weekend calendar. Gather your friends, support local businesses, and discover something new around the city.
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