ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — With about seven minutes left in the third quarter of the Broncos’ 29-19 win at Las Vegas, quarterback Bo Nix dropped back in the pocket a couple of yards from his own goal line, completed a 19-yard pass to Courtland Sutton to convert a third down, then was blasted by Las Vegas Raider tough guy Maxx Crosby.
The hit, which TV color commentator Trent Green said was late, was a two-hand shiver delivered with such force, Nix tumbled hard on his backside. Crosby raised his hands as if to say, “it wasn’t me.” No flag.
Later in the third quarter, Nix made a simple pitch to running back Marvin Mims Jr. and seemed to wince while grabbing his lower left back.
Late in the game, Nix was spotted on the bench wearing a device wrapped within a bandage that was wrapped around his lower back. So it wasn’t a surprise Thursday when Nix was listed as a “limited” participant in practice.
Not to worry.
“I’m good to go,’’ Nix said Friday. “Ready to roll.”
Nix was a full participant at practice Friday, which is lucky for the Broncos because their quarterback is some kind of hot. He is the three-time defending NFL Rookie of the Week, the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month in October, and the AFC Offensive Player of the Week from two weeks ago.
Is it difficult handling all this acclaim?
“Not really because I’ve mentioned this before, I know what it’s like to be on both ends of the spectrum,’’ Nix said. “I just have to continue to do what’s getting us here and what’s keeping us playing well. Just rely on the other guys, get your playmakers the ball. Do what the coaches are asking me, and it sounds simple, but that’s all I’ve got to continue to do, and I think we’ll continue to have success.”
Nix has 16 touchdown passes against just two interceptions while leading the Broncos to a 7-3 record and No. 7 AFC playoff seed standing since the team’s 0-2 start. The NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race is now between Nix and Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, who seemed to have the award wrapped up a month ago.
“There’s always going to be the off-the-field things, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t play well,’’ Nix said. “All I’m concerned about right now is the next opponent, and that’s Cleveland (Monday night at Empower Field). We’ve just got to play well and continue to do the things that we’ve been doing the past couple weeks leading up to this game.”
