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Bo Nix’s playmaking ability makes him a ‘really dangerous’ quarterback, but he has limits

Sakege November 5, 2024

A path to the first down marker materialized in front of bo nix as the Denver Broncos rookie quarterback escaped the pocket to his right on a third-and-6 play during Sunday’s game against the Baltimore Ravens. Nix has been a faster ball carrier this season than coaches and teammates say they expected him to be, and he has similarly taken opponents by surprise with his speed at times this season.

“He’s a really dangerous quarterback,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, “as everyone saw.”

Therefore, it would have been difficult to blame Nix if he had decided to put the ball down and run to the sideline trying to prolong a drive late in the first quarter.

Instead, Nix scanned the field as he moved, keeping his options open. Saw running back Javonte Williams He raised his arms in the middle of the field and quickly threw the ball across his body, just before crossing the line of scrimmage. With ample room to run after catching the direct pass, Williams helped turn the improvisational play into a 34-yard gain, the biggest of the day for the Broncos in their humiliating 41-10 defeat.

“This is Bo Nix to a T,” CBS analyst Tony Romo said as the replay progressed on the television broadcast. “Extending plays, using his legs.”

The ability to use his athleticism to make plays for the Broncos’ offense, whether to buy time as a passer or to buy an extra set of snaps by converting to running back, has been a defining feature of Nix’s rookie season and a gateway to some of Denver’s achievements. More explosive moments offensively. His 295 rushing yards are the most by a Broncos quarterback through the first nine games of a season in team history, according to Pro Football Reference. His pass to Williams, and another big pass to Courtland Sutton in the fourth quarter, illustrated the stress Nix can put on a defense when pushed to the limit, where his ability as a dual-threat forced opponents to make tough decisions.

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The matchup with the Ravens also demonstrated the limits that Nix’s ability to operate outside of structure can have for Denver’s offense. The most glaring example came when the Broncos failed to score on both of their scoring drives in the fourth quarter. The two possessions had a similar profile. They averaged 10 plays and 55 net yards and both advanced to the Baltimore 1-yard line. Both were left empty, in part because the Ravens built a fence around Nix and closed his escape doors.

On third-and-goal at the 1-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, Nix took a shotgun snap and fell back into a clean pocket. First he came out of his right pocket despite having time. That lane was closed and he returned to his left, hoping to buy himself enough time to get a gap to his left and allow his receivers to find a weak spot in the coverage in the end zone. But no matter how fast Nix is, he couldn’t outrun Nix. Trenton Simpsonwho ran 4.43 at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine.

“I didn’t need to come out of the pocket,” Romo said during the replay. “Just stay, wait for it (to open).”

On the second drive of the fourth quarter that reached the end zone, the Broncos faced a second-and-goal from the Baltimore 3-yard line. Nix rolled so far to the right while trying to find a passing window that he eventually went out of bounds before throwing the ball away, resulting in a 6-yard sack.

Those failures at the end of those two trips, of course, were not all Nix’s fault. A similar scenario for the Ravens in the second quarter illustrated the weapons gap between the two offenses. On third and goal at the 7-yard line, the Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson He extended the play while moving to his right, just as Nix would attempt to do in a nearly identical spot later in the game. But Jackson had a sneaky goal in zay flowers who evaded the nickel Ja’Quan McMillian at the end of the play and emerged as an open target for Jackson in the back of the end zone.

A trick and a treat.

: CBS pic.twitter.com/Dj3JZ6Bclu

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 3, 2024

The Broncos don’t have a player like that on offense (not yet, at least) and it won’t arrive before Tuesday afternoon’s game. NFL trade deadline.

“Honestly, the focus is on the guys in this building,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said during a conference call with reporters on Monday. “Superman’s not coming in.”

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For now, Nix donning the cape tends to be the best thing the Broncos have on offense. Teams are starting to respect more the damage he can cause with his athleticism. Allocating more resources to account for Nix as a running back (heck, even as a receiver now that he’s tied for third on the team in touchdown receptions (one)) should create more open windows for him when he stays in the pocket. Maximizing those opportunities has to be a priority during the second half of his rookie season. For the Broncos to make an offensive leap, they have to play like the deep ball downed on fourth-and-4 for an open opening. troy franklin in the end zone must be completions.

“You can’t pass him on fourth down when he’s 5 yards behind the defender,” Romo said.

The Broncos need to run the ball more efficiently in the second half of the season, Payton said Monday, for the offense to take another step. He hinted that the rookie running back Audric Estimé Could see more work in the backfield. Nix, who could challenge? Tim Tebow (660 yards) for the franchise’s season-ending quarterback rushing record, will continue to be an important part of the rushing plan. It’s what makes him “dangerous,” as Harbaugh said Sunday.

But Nix will be even more dangerous when he can use the cape while standing in the pocket as well as when he leaves it.