ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The descriptions of Bo Nix have already become repetitive.
Poised. Mature. Doesn’t make the same mistake twice. Experienced.
An experienced rookie.
“He’s kind of come in with a veteran presence since day one and that’s continued,’’ said offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi.
“Really impressed with his poise, confidence, seeing what he can do in the first couple (preseason) games, it was great to see that,’’ said owner Greg Penner.
“I think overall there is a maturity level to him that maybe is different than a lot of rookies,’’ said head coach Sean Payton.
“We've talked about it multiple times — just the poise, the maturity and efficiency that he's operated on the offense has been impressive,’’ said general manager George Paton.
So far, so good. Nix was the NFL’s second-leading passer during the preseason with a 116.7 rating (minimum 30 attempts) which he put together based off 23 of 30 completions for 205 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Not part of the passer rating computation but is considered a necessary characteristic for Payton was Nix also took zero sacks.
“Bo Nix’s had 61 college starts—that’s unusual because of what happened during COVID-19.’’ Payton added. “So you do feel a maturity level just handling the media or whatever it is that he’s had experience with. You can feel that with this player.”
Now comes the first real test against the Seattle Seahawks in a road game next Sunday at Lumen Field. There’s not much to go on for Nix in that game. He played once in Seattle in college. It was last October when he completed 33 of 44 passes for 337 yards, two touchdown passes and zero interceptions in Oregon’s 36-33 loss to Washington.
Shouldn’t have lost. Nix in the final 1:38 completed 6 of 6 passes to drive Oregon from its own 25 to the Washington 25, whereupon the Ducks’ kicker missed a 43-yard game-tying field goal attempt at the gun.
The Huskies are a great college football program but the Seahawks are perennial NFL playoff contenders. The owner Penner and GM Paton eased expectations last week by referring to how all rookie quarterbacks have ups and downs and how management is going to support Nix through good times and bad.
Broncos Country, though, has gone through an eight-year playoff drought. It wants more good than bad from Nix.
“Understand that there's a lot of pressure on his shoulders and everybody wants him to succeed greatly here,’’ said veteran right tackle Mike McGlinchey. “It doesn't mean that he has to press and do something special every single day. He just has to do his job. … No overreactions and no dramatic changes of the course. Things like that just cause more problems. You have to be able to see things with a clear set of eyes and separate yourself from the story that's going on.”
The Bo Nix Story has reached the NFL. Based on how Nix came along during the Broncos’ offseason, it would be a surprise if he didn’t play well against the Seahawks. He played well in his last 26 games at Oregon — since losing to the eventual national champion Georgia Bulldogs in the 2022 season opener. That 26 good-game streak has been extended to 28 with his two preseason appearances for the Broncos.
“OTAs when he first got here in May to where he's at now, he’s a different football player,’’ McGlinchey said. “It's a great sense of who he is as a pro and who he is as a competitor to learn that fast and put himself in a position to lead our football team. Everybody is excited for him to do that. There have been so many examples of him showing composure and his collection in the huddle. His ability to stay calm no matter the situation out there. He was the same on the practice field as he was in the two games that we've lined up so far. That speaks to his composure as much as anything. The moment isn't too big for him. He's ready for it, and he's ready to go attack it.”
Here it is, Broncos fans. Bo Time.
