The Denver Broncos suffered a heartbreaking 14-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on a blocked field goal attempt as time expired on Sunday. Although the Broncos drop to 5-5, there’s still much optimism that the playoffs are within reach, primarily due to Bo Nix’s growth over the first 10 weeks.
Nix went 22-of-30 for 215 yards and two touchdowns, arguably outdueling Patrick Mahomes, who finished 28-of-42 for 266 yards and one score. Despite the loss, Nix has confidence in the Broncos to be competitive against any opponent, expressing so in the post-game presser.
“We’re very confident. We feel we can compete against a lot of teams in this league, all of them, really," Nix said in Kansas City. "We’re close. We just have to find ways to get over the hump, find ways to make a play when they don’t, and make the play that wins it. In this league, that’s the line between playoff teams, championship teams, and all the other guys."
As a rebuilding team, the Broncos have been ultra-competitive and, with the exception of the Baltimore Ravens loss, have fought tooth and nail to keep every game close. Young as this team may be, it's slugging it out with the big dogs, and as Nix says, the Broncos aren’t going to hang their heads and quit. He later replied to a question about whether this loss hurt more than others and the leadership that comes out of it.
This loss was a gut punch. It hurt, but if Nix's remarks are any indication, it could be motivation for the Broncos down the stretch.
“It doesn’t hurt you if you don’t care," Nix said. "It doesn’t hurt if it doesn’t mean anything to you. It doesn’t hurt if you don’t put in the work and want the good result. Everyone in that locker room is hurt because we do all that stuff. We put in the energy, the effort, out there practicing in the snow, doing all this stuff and it’s hard, it’s difficult. Eventually, it’s going to go in our favor but right now, it hasn’t."
The Broncos' young leadership core, along with the coaching staff, have to shoulder this loss and make sure the team doesn't give up or go into a shell in the wake of a brutal loss of this magnitude. Throwing in the towel would be the path of least resistance, and Nix isn't about that.
"The easy thing to do is give in and stop, say that it’s too hard," Nix said. "I feel like our locker room is going to respond better and consistently find ways to improve, find ways to keep going toe-to-toe with teams like this. One time, it’ll go our way.”
The strongest wills rise from a heartbreaking defeat, and Nix once again proved that he is the leader the Broncos have been searching for since Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset. There is still plenty of season left, and if the rest of the team’s confidence is as high as Nix’s, the Broncos could have many surprises in store for the NFL.
“I felt confident going into the game," Nix said. "We had a plan; we executed early. I was excited to go toe-to-toe with the great Patrick Mahomes. Nobody had that opportunity today, but I did. I wanted to go out there and do my best at it and I appreciated it.”
The Broncos will play the Chiefs again in Week 18 at Mile High. But there's no guarantee Mahomes will be playing, if the Chiefs are resting starters as expected come the season finale.
