ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Bo Nix isn't in danger of losing his starting job as the Denver Broncos quarterback works through a season-long funk, coach Sean Payton said Monday.
“No,” Payton said flatly when asked if he's considering a change at QB as the Broncos (4-2) prepare to visit the Arizona Cardinals (2-4) this weekend.
“He's going to become the byproduct of all the finer things that get improved: the improved play from our offensive line, the more
efficient we are relative to balance, running the football, and that's our job as coaches here," Payton said. “We talked about after the game about how we're excited to get that win but at the same time find all the improvement we need in all areas. So, it starts with all of us.”
Nix hasn't been the same quarterback he was before he broke his right ankle in the playoffs last season. He's hesitant to tuck the ball and run at times.
Other times, he bails on clean pockets before deep routes are complete and he's throwing more checkdowns than ever before as Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton get a paucity of passes thrown their way.
Payton said he didn't think Nix has been adversely affected mentally by his two offseason ankle surgeries, adding, “That's one of the things that attracted us to Bo in the beginning is we'd seen his ability to climb through adversity.”
In his past two games, Nix has thrown for 123 yards against the Chargers and 107 against the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks — which are the second- and third-fewest of his three-year career, behind only a 60-yard performance against the Jets in 2024 in a rain storm. Moreover, he's won 18 of his past 21 starts.
The Broncos survived a brutal six-week stretch to open the season thanks to Denver's stellar defense and timely plays from an offense that is otherwise sputtering. Nix acknowledged after Denver's 17-14 overtime win against Seattle on Thursday night that he is at a loss for why the vertical passing game is struggling.
Payton said the Seahawks presented an especially difficult challenge to going deep because of their “two-deep, two-high shell,” but insisted, “We'll be able to get the ball down the field, and I was able to listen to what Bo said specifically and certainly you come away from a game like that and you're wanting a little bit, or obviously, chunk plays. And that starts with me, with us, giving him those opportunities when they present themselves."
Nix's struggles have become a storyline nationally with several former QBs-turned-analysists chiming in and criticizing Nix.
Payton said he's not paying any attention to outsiders blasting his quarterback.
“I try to focus on the next day here,” Payton said. “We're trying to focus on playing Arizona. That's kind of where our attention is.”
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