Things won’t get any easier for Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix for the rest of this month.
Mike Macdonald won his first game as Pete Carroll’s replacement in Seattle with a strong defense that shut down Nix, the 12th overall pick in the draft. Nix managed to score a touchdown in the closing minutes on Sunday, which made the Broncos’ 26-20 loss seem a bit more respectable.
Next up are the Pittsburgh Steelers, led by Mike Tomlin, who will visit Denver on Sunday. After that, Nix will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, coached by Todd Bowles, on the East Coast, and then the New York Jets, led by Robert Saleh.
Nix will be up against four of the NFL’s top defensive minds right away. He won the starting quarterback job this summer based on his strong performance in the preseason, where he led the Broncos on six scoring drives in seven possessions.
However, that was against backups and third-stringers from the Colts and Packers.
Welcome to the real NFL, Mr. Nix, where simple defenses don’t exist, road games are loud, and defensive coordinators work tirelessly to exploit inexperienced quarterbacks.
Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the game that the loss in Nix’s tough debut was as much about Denver’s poor supporting cast as it was about the rookie quarterback. Nix had started more college games — 61 at Auburn and Oregon — than any other quarterback in NCAA history.
The Broncos had issues with a weak offensive line, dropped passes early on, and running backs stumbling.
Payton described Denver’s pass protection as “average at best” and at one point went to the bench to urge the offense, saying, “Let’s go! … Let’s help this guy.”
After reviewing the game film on Monday, Payton continued to defend Nix and blamed his teammates for not supporting the rookie enough.
“We need to be better around him,” Payton said. “And we will be.”
However, Nix did struggle in his professional debut. He threw 42 passes, completing 26 for just 132 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions — both into double coverage — and took two sacks, resulting in a low 47.5 passer rating.
