Coach’s homecoming, short week add to Bo Nix’s Game 7

In his first four NFL games, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw one touchdown pass and four interceptions. In the past two, the rookie has four touchdown passes and one interception.

“I do see the progress,” Nix said on Tuesday, “but I still see some that I’m leaving out there, so it’s a happy medium, a fine line of both, feeling like I am making strides, but at the same time, there’s things I continue to go back and watch that I know I’m capable of doing, so it is good to see the progress and the strides. But also not where I want to be. Yeah, so the standard’s still very high, and I’m still working to reach that.”

Courtland Sutton caught Nix’s first touchdown pass in a 10-9 victory over the New York Jets on Sept. 29 and his most recent in a 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. The seven-year wide receiver said he’s seen the rookie QB’s progress, but both he and Nix see the plays that aren’t being made, too.

“He’s making steps,” Sutton said on Tuesday. “He’s taking strides to get to where he ultimately wants to get to. It’s been really exciting watching him continue to develop. I keep saying it each week, but it’s the truth. Ultimately, at the end of the day, we want to see him get better from week in to week out, and I think that’s ultimately where he’s been able to get to.

“We have left ops out there on the table, and it looks so good for us to see it and for us all to see it and to have conversations about it, not just to see it individually, and be like, ‘I hope that they’re seeing what I’m seeing.’ It’s like I’ll see it, then he’ll see it and then I’ll see him the next day or something and he’ll say, ‘Hey, did you see this play?’ ‘Yeah, we can hit that in the future if it comes back around.’ To have that correlation and for us to both see that and for the other pass-catchers and other people in our offense to be able to see those things and recognize it and to know that there is more on the table for us is definitely encouraging.”

The Broncos’ next game will be doubly different for Nix. Denver will play on Thursday night, when it faces the Saints in New Orleans, where current Broncos coach Sean Payton spent 15 seasons in charge, including winning the franchise’s only Super Bowl title.

“The focus for us and our team – and I told them this this morning – is: Look, we’re in the business of collecting wins and this is the next one we have to get,” Payton said. “… I’m sure there’ll be some emotions at some point. But more importantly, it’s about our team. Because really, we go to stadiums with players that ‘Man, this means something to me. I used to be a Chief or Charger, Raider or Eagle.’ And to that individual, having spent time there, that matters. But I think because of the week and because of the schedule, I haven’t really had a chance to – I mean, I get it. But what’s most important is finding a way to win.”

Nix said the team had the same focus.

“We understand it, but he hasn’t really made much of it,” Nix said. “It’s just another game to us. I know he spent a lot of energy and effort for that organization, and so I know it means a lot to him. But we want to just treat it like another game and just attack it and compete just like it’s another game. But we know it’s going to be a great environment, maybe some emotions, but we’ve got to play down to earth and just play one game or one play at a time.”

The former Pinson Valley High School and Auburn quarterback will make his first appearance in an NFL prime-time slot against New Orleans.

“It’s definitely unique,” Nix said of his inaugural Thursday night game. “I’ve never played in just under four days like this, so it’s been a fun challenge. You kind of have to cram everything all at once and just learn a lot at one time. But that’s part of the game. You know, a lot of guys have to do that. It’s part of the fun of playing on a Thursday night, so we’ll be ready to go. We’ll have a good plan, and we’ve just got to execute.”