The Denver Broncos were riding high as they routinely dumped the New Orleans Saints 33-10 in Caesars Superdome. The Broncos rolled over rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler and his depleted Saints outfit or face dire consequences.
The Broncos ultimately stacked another win, but perhaps more importantly, Bo Nix is becoming a genuine dual-threat quarterback, which has massive potential.
"It's special, man. Bo's a dual threat," Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles said post-game via Denver Sports' Andrew Mason. "He can throw the ball and he can run. He's special. And we needed to do our job tonight by protecting him. And we created open lanes in the passing game for him to throw the ball to our playmakers. And we got that—the ball rolling. So when we got the ball rolling down the field, it opens up lanes for him to do what he needs to do, and that's what makes him special."
Despite established veterans like Bolles praising Nix, several badly missed throws to wide-open receivers early in Thursday night's game showed that the rookie is still a work in progress. Once you come to terms with that, you see why Sean Payton might begin to alter how he will bring along his rookie passer moving forward.
Similarly, the overall expectations are starting to significantly change on a weekly basis as the Broncos edge back to a winning record (4-3). With the eminently beatable Carolina Panthers next up on deck at home, Payton will know he could be in a playoff race, even though he's still fine-tuning out with Nix.
Payton might be willing to let Nix's natural skill set flourish instead of putting all his focus on turning the rookie into a more proficient pro passer in the here-and-now. Against the Saints, Nix was the Broncos' second-leading rusher with 75 yards on 10 carries. His fleet turn of foot can be a gut punch to opposing defenses when they don't expect it.
What's also encouraging is the way Payton's highly-paid offensive line is coming together to make a brutal statement. On Thursday night, the timely return of right tackle Mike McGlinchey helped the Broncos take physical control upfront, and wide-open running lanes were the result.
"We blocked them. You get a sense right away how you are matching up," Payton said post-game. "Really, from the late second quarter on it, was pressure. We got a lot more zone tonight from this team maybe to keep more eyes on Bo. He did a good job with his feet. Javonte had some good runs. When you have a night like that rushing and time of possession, the script was flipped a little bit from last week. Fortunately from our defense, they got some rest."
Nix's mobility might hold the key to the Broncos' vilified offense keeping teams off balance. Nix is embracing the responsibility of being the dual-threat kind of playmaker who can keep the chains moving when he has to.
"I think it is just an added bonus," Nix said post-game. "Obviously, you want to run the ball with the running backs in special ways and get behind the O-line. At times, things break down and those hidden yards, I think, are really important. They get first downs, and they are ways of sneaking yards in. So, that was good to see, good to use, and we have to continue to do that when it's there."
Why would the Broncos feel any kind of guilt or shame for maximizing Nix's wheels at this early stage of his development? Having a mobile quarterback has been a huge part of delivering huge success for Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs for years.
Committing to more designed runs and RPO packages for Nix helps maximize a Broncos O-line that's starting to really hit its stride. Payton has a lot of confidence that Nix can make decisions with the football that don't put the Broncos in perilous predicaments.
"I had made the comment earlier when we drafted him. When you watch him play, you don't feel like you are in harm's way," Payton said. "He is tough to sack. He has good ball location. He makes a lot of plays with his feet. He has some big play opportunities. There is a confidence that you get as a playcaller that allows you to be more aggressive. We wanted to come out tonight in that mindset."
It's not even remotely about distilling the offense down to Tim Tebow iteration for dummies derivative. It's about using the obvious talent of your quarterback in the most effective way possible.
