QB Bo Nix struggles in his first NFL start, but gives the Broncos a late chance

LOS ANGELES — For a moment, it seemed as if rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a little Mile High Magic in his bag for his first NFL appearance.

With 2:09 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Nix fought his way into the end zone from four yards out, reducing Seattle’s lead to 26-20 and giving Denver one last chance.

While the Seahawks won the game with an impressive catch by Tyler Lockett, Nix still gave the Broncos a chance on a day marked by some adversity.

“It was definitely challenging to say the least,” Nix said after the game. “I thought they had a really good defense. I thought they executed their scheme well. I thought they focused on the ball. It was tough to make some explosive plays, and I think when you’re struggling to make explosive plays and you’re having to sustain drives, you can get into third-and-long and just tough situations. Overall, I think even though we didn’t play well at the end, we earned a chance to win. Our special teams and our defense played unbelievable. They really kept us in the game and gave us hope. They fought.

“I think overall, you like the level of performance from our team. You like that we never gave up. We fought. It could have gotten out of hand, but it didn’t, and we were basically one possession away from a chance. Obviously not the results we wanted, but I think we’re going to be a confident group, and we’re going to bounce back from this and continue to be competitive.”

Nix completed 26 of 42 passes for 138 yards, had two interceptions and a quarterback rating of 47.5, but was also sacked twice. Head coach Sean Payton, however, was impressed with how his quarterback handled his first start.

“I thought he seemed calm and composed,” Payton said. “I felt that – I felt like he was very comfortable and ready.”

Payton also pointed out that the Broncos need to play better around Nix. Payton pointed to several dropped passes — he said he begged pass receivers on the sideline to get their act together — and a running game that was “nowhere near good enough” as areas where Denver needs to improve. The Broncos head coach also said the team’s defense was “average at best” and praised Nix for creating plenty of movement with his legs.

“I thought he was there,” Payton said. “I never felt like it was too big or confusing. He was sharp. I thought he even extended some plays with his feet. And we’ll watch the video again, but we’ve got to be better around him.”

Most importantly, Payton believes Nix “gave us a chance” to pull out a win against a Seahawks team that battled back in the second half. For veteran receiver Josh Reynolds, who caught five passes for 45 yards in his Broncos debut, the resilience spoke volumes about the rookie.

“That’s what I like: a quarterback who keeps fighting,” Reynolds said.

Tackle Mike McGlinchey expressed a similar sentiment after the game.

“I think Bo did a great job today,” McGlinchey said. “I think he handled himself well. It’s really tough to make your first NFL appearance, especially at the quarterback position. I think he handled himself with composure. I think he handled the huddle well. I think he’s extremely competitive and puts his body on the line for us. I’m really happy with his development and I know he’s going to look at this and improve just like anyone else on the team.”

Despite being intercepted twice – including a pass near the goal line intended for Sutton that Nix later called a “bad call” – he climbed into the pocket at the end of the first half to complete a 25-yard pass to Reynolds that led to points, and ran 23 yards on the Broncos’ final offensive possession, setting up Denver’s only touchdown.

“We have a team that is not going to give up and we are going to put everything on the line,” Nix said. “No matter if it’s a bad start, we’re going to continue to find ways to finish.”

As Nix has progressed since his first start, this continued focus and motivation will prove important – and the answer for Nix and Co. could soon be here.

“I don’t think we were far off,” Nix said.