The Broncos left Thursday night with a win, and the Prime Video postgame crew left with a pile-on.
Denver survived Seattle 17-14 in overtime at Empower Field at Mile High, getting a Ja’Quan McMillian interception on the Seahawks’ first snap of the extra period before Wil Lutz drilled a 53-yard field goal to finish it. The victory moved the Broncos to 4-2 after a punishing six-game opening stretch, and they’re now 4-0 in one-score games and 3-0 at home.
But the way Denver got there gave the analysts plenty to hammer.
Bo Nix finished 17-of-27 for 107 yards with no touchdowns, and his second-half line was even rougher: 7-of-12 for 29 yards as the Broncos managed just 30 yards after halftime, two first downs and no third-down conversions in six tries. Seattle erased a 14-3 halftime deficit and tied it on a late touchdown with three seconds left in regulation before Denver finally slammed the door in overtime.
Ryan Fitzpatrick did not hold back.
“Bo Nix is not playing competitively,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s almost disrespectful to the quarterback position how he’s playing football right now.”
When asked to explain, Fitzpatrick went straight at the way the game ended.
“First of all, the guy doesn’t want to throw the ball. That’s fine, he’s throwing to the flats, he’s throwing behind.
But he has no trust from his coach. He calls a screen play on third and eight, just run up, let the clock keep going.
What does he do? He throws it away.”
“And then in overtime, he’s got two chances to be competitive. The last one being a designed run for him to run. Make somebody miss and get a first down for your football team.”
He wasn’t done there.
“Now, they’re in the locker room right now. They’re excited, they won. He’s not playing competitive football right now!”
“I can only imagine how Sean Payton feels. I mean, Sean Payton, Davis Webb, everybody that blocks for him, he’s not competing right now and that’s something that he’s hung his hat on for the last two years. I don’t know if he’s still injured and I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s not good enough.”
Later, Fitzpatrick doubled down: “That effort is garbage. That is not a quarterback in the NFL. (We) deserve better.”
Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez piled on as well.
“Offensively right now, it is anemic. If I’m a Denver Bronco fan I’m looking at this going, ‘Hey Bo Nix, if this keeps up, maybe even a good benching,'” Gonzalez said. “Offensively, you cannot be happy with this.”
There was substance behind the criticism. Denver’s offense stalled repeatedly, including six three-and-outs.
Late in regulation, Kris Abrams-Draine picked off Sam Darnold with 1:25 remaining, but the Broncos burned only 15 seconds before punting, and Seattle used that chance to force overtime. The Broncos then gained just eight yards in the extra session before Lutz ended it.
Still, the scoreboard is the scoreboard.
Denver did it without Pat Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga, and Vance Joseph’s defense came up with two interceptions on Darnold in the final minutes. The Broncos have now worked through a stretch of the Chiefs, Jaguars, Rams, 49ers, Chargers and Seahawks and come out two games above .500.
Nix’s stat line won’t quiet much of anything, and Sean Payton knows the offense has to clean it up. But the Broncos keep finding a way to win, and that is the part Broncos Country will care about most. Denver now gets a mini-bye before visiting the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, October 25.
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Bo Nix Drew A Brutal Review After Seahawks Matchup
Bo Nixs Thursday night showing against the Seahawks drew sharp criticism on the Amazon Prime Video broadcast, where Ryan Fitzpatrick took aim at the Broncos quarterbacks approach and urgency. Fitzpatrick, a former NFL quarterback, said Nixs play lacked competitiveness and pointed to the limited passing production as part of a performance that left plenty to be desired in a nationally televised game.
The scrutiny did not stop there, either. Tony Gonzalez added to the pressure by suggesting the Broncos may need to think about a benching if Nix does not turn things around, a harsh public assessment at a time when Denver is trying to stabilize its offense. For a young quarterback, that kind of spotlight can linger well beyond one Thursday night. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Backfield Suddenly Has A Week 7 Question They Can't Ignore
The Broncos are heading into Week 7 at 4-2 with a backfield situation that suddenly feels more complicated than it did a few weeks ago. As Denver gets ready for Arizona, the offense is staring at the possibility of getting rookie Jonah Coleman back after he spent time on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain, a development that would give the team another option at a position that has not settled cleanly in recent games.
JK Dobbins had been handling the primary role, but his recent struggles have left the Broncos with a real decision to make once Coleman is available again. Denver has plenty to like about its start, yet the timing of this backfield reset matters, because Week 7 could bring a change that forces the coaching staff to rethink how it wants to distribute the carries going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Knows The Broncos Have A Problem Hidden By 4-2
The Broncos 4-2 start has them in a strong spot on the surface, but the offenses uneven afternoon against Seattle was a reminder that the record can blur some real issues. Denver built a 14-3 halftime lead in the 17-14 overtime win, then spent much of the second half leaning on a defense that kept the game from slipping away.
Sean Payton pointed to the need for offensive improvement, even while praising a defense that delivered five sacks and two interceptions. The broader concern is not hard to see: Denver has banked wins, but the way it got there has left enough unfinished business to keep the conversation going as the schedule moves on. [Read more 🡒]