Denver Broncos quarterback Bo NIx is no stranger to being mentioned in the same breath as Hall of Famers John Elway and Peyton Manning. In fact, he's been in that same conversation since his rookie year.
After Sunday's Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Nix was again mentioned alongside Manning, this time for yards per dropback in a single game.
"A lot was made about Denver starting slow again," Kay Adams said on FanDuel TV’s Up and Adams show. "When you dig into it though, this passing game did something they hadn't done since Peyton Manning was the quarterback. Long before ManningCast, long ago... Davis Webb, as you see here, called 31 pass plays on Sunday; the Broncos averaged 9.3 passing yards per dropback. The last time that happened
was 2014; that's Peyton Manning throwing for a career-high 479 yards."
The Broncos offense did something Sunday that hasn't been done since Peyton Manning was quarterback.
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) September 22, 2026
Let that sink in.@Broncos | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/fZ0Exgl1c2
Adams attributed the average to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who, on his own, averaged 17.3 yards per catch in his historic Broncos home debut against the Jaguars.
"That is the Jaylen Waddle effect," Adams said. "That is what we expected, why things should be better than they were last year, why last year should be the floor, and what we're seeing this year can now be the ceiling. That is what Bo Nix can do, when he is able to let it rip and throw it downfield a little bit more. I think this was a huge, huge step forward against a good team."
Nix has shown his ability to throw the ball all over the field, but when he's throwing for a first down on nearly every attempt, that can change the game. That kind of explosive playmaking is what the Broncos need to take the next step from becoming a good team to becoming a great team. When you can create those big-yardage plays, a defense is on its heels, and you are able to operate, run or pass, at will.
The Broncos look to continue that kind of production in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams, in a Sunday Night Football showdown between two preseason Super Bowl contenders.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Bo Nix posted Broncos’ best stat in this category since Peyton Manning
