Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix turned in his best performance of the season on Sunday, piloting Denver to a 38-6 victory over Atlanta.
Head coach Sean Payton said in his Monday press conference that the team is excited about the way Nix has grown and developed week after week, which is part of why Payton has been able to expand the plays he has in for each game.
“I think repetition is where it begins,” Payton said. “The more and more you rep a certain play or a certain scheme, the more and more you get comfortable with it. You kind of know where all the answers are relative to — Bo said something that was real sharp yesterday. We send in a play for a certain defense, and you get another defense. The better plays have an answer versus more of the defenses. As he gets comfortable with where those answers are, then you can expand on it. The same thing the other way around. In other words, there’s certain plays we’re going to have up each week that we’re going to window dress.
“I just think it’s a gradual [process]. I can’t look at one game and say, ‘That was the game.’ It’s a gradual process of confidence both in what he’s comfortable with and then confidence in what the others around him can do with it. It’s kind of something that is ongoing. Honestly, I don’t think that ever really — there’s no conclusion to it. You’re always tinkering. You’re always looking for new ways to get a third-down conversion, but I’ve been real impressed with the speed at which he’s been able to adapt to this league.”
Nix completed 28-of-33 passes for 307 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions on Sunday. He’s thrown just one pick in his last five games and only two dating back to Week 3.
In those last nine contests, Nix has completed 67 percent of his passes or 1,891 yards with 14 touchdowns and two picks.
Payton said Nix’s performance has helped instill a belief that the Broncos can compete to win every week.
“I think it’s pretty powerful and he’s why — just having experienced it for a long stretch with another player in [Drew] Brees — you always believe you’re in each game,” Payton said. “You always believe — even if you fall behind — you’re in each game. The opposite can be very difficult. I think that player who’s touching the ball on every offensive play, it definitely can lead to a direction — both mentally as well as on the field — lead to a direction [of] how a team thinks.”
But even as Nix has led Denver to a 6-5 record through 11 games, Payton isn’t trying to crown the young quarterback.
“Let’s not send this kid to Canton quite yet,” Payton said. “We’re sitting here in the middle of the season. He’s playing well. I’m excited. The film showed that he’s playing well. The film showed a few things though that I wanted to scream at him about. We’ll keep correcting those things.
“I like the way he prepares. I love the way he comes to work. I love his enthusiasm. I think it’s naturally contagious. I think he’s a winner. It’s interesting because you guys real time are seeing it just like we are. I’m real encouraged by that.”
