Although outside noise would have you think otherwise, it's been a remarkable season of firsts for the Denver Broncos and rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Nix became the first rookie QB to be named the season-opening starter since John Elway in 1983
Since the season started, Nix became the first rookie quarterback to win three games in a row. Now, on the heels of Denver's 33-10 win over the New Orleans Saints, Nix's four victories puts him with Elway and Drew Lock for the most ever by a Broncos rookie.
That's a mark that Nix will own solely by season's end. Four wins. Nix will have five under his belt by the end of Week 8 when the Carolina Panthers come to town.
Nix was informed of how his four wins matched an Elway franchise mark and he ruminated on the gravity of it post-game in New Orleans.
“It means a lot. You’re talking about one of the greats to ever do it at our organization," Nix said of Elway. "You’re in great company. I am not finished; we have a lot in front of us, so I definitely don’t want to stop there. We are going to continue to get better as a team. I am going to continue to grow and learn as a player. Hopefully, we will continue to have wins like this.”
It was a commanding victory at Caesars Superdome. Vegas set the Broncos' over/under win total for 2024 at 5.5 and Sean Payton has never won fewer than seven games as a head coach.
It won't be easy for Nix to get the last laugh, as the Broncos' schedule stiffens up dramatically from Week 9 on. The Broncos will face a three-game onslaught of top-shelf opponents — the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons — making a 5-3 start imperative.
On the season, Nix has completed 61.2% of his passes for 1,246 yards and five touchdowns, with five interceptions. He's also rushed for 255 yards and three additional scores, giving Payton roughly 1,500 yards of offense and eight total touchdowns through seven games.
It's a modest start, statistically. But it's clear that Nix is only scratching the surface. Imagine what the Broncos will look like when things finally start coming together for Nix and the Broncos' passing game.
