The Broncos found another gear in the fourth quarter, and Bo Nix was right in the middle of it.
Denver dropped 15 points in the final period to wipe out an 11-point hole over the last 15 minutes, finishing off a win that pushed the Broncos to 6-2. That gives them control of the AFC West, extends their winning streak to four, and puts them in position to win the division for a second straight season.
The offense has been part of the surge. It flashed in Week 7 against Arizona, then followed that up with another productive showing in Week 8.
The Broncos have looked capable of putting up big numbers, even if the consistency still comes and goes. The 13-15 scoring split in Week 8 is a good reminder that the production wasn’t limited to one explosive quarter.
Nix, though, is the piece that stands out most right now. His season totals still don’t scream dominance, but the recent stretch has been encouraging, especially in how well he’s protected the ball.
He’s up to nine touchdowns and just three interceptions on the year, a 3:1 TD:INT ratio that would be the best of his career. Even more important, he hasn’t thrown a pick since Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams. He had one interception in each of the first three games, then went five straight without one.
Over the last two games, which also happen to be Denver’s two most encouraging offensive performances of the season, Nix has posted a 96.6 passer rating with 444 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
It’s easy to get caught up in what the numbers look like on paper, and Nix’s early-season stats have taken a hit while the offense has worked through its growing pains. But the signs are starting to point in the right direction.
The Broncos have scored 58 points over the last two weeks, including 28 against a very good Kansas City defense. Nix has also started using his legs more, and that long touchdown run against Arizona may have given him a boost of confidence.
There’s still plenty of football left, but the third-year quarterback appears to be catching fire at exactly the right moment. With the unofficial second half of the season beginning in Week 9, Denver will need that efficient version of Nix to keep showing up against some of the weaker opponents on the schedule, with the hope that he’s peaking when the playoffs arrive.
In Other News...
Chiefs Meltdown Added Even More To Denvers First-Place Win
The Broncos Week 8 win over Kansas City already carried plenty of weight, but the ripple effects made it feel even bigger in Denver. A 28-24 victory pushed the Broncos to 6-2 and dropped the Chiefs to 5-2, flipping the AFC West standings and giving Denver a first-place spot it had been chasing.
Kansas Citys frustration spilled well beyond the field after the game, with Brittany Mahomes taking to Instagram Stories to criticize a late penalty that wiped out a potential turning point. For the Broncos, it was the kind of divisional win that does more than add a mark in the standings, because it also leaves the rival most likely to challenge them dealing with the fallout. [Read more 🡒]
Mahomes Postgame Drama Briefly Took Attention From Denvers Biggest Win
The Broncos biggest win of the season came with some extra postgame noise after Kansas Citys second straight loss turned into a heated finish. The Chiefs fell to 5-2 after a late false start penalty wiped out their chance to win, and Patrick Mahomes spent much of his postgame availability venting about the officiating after throwing for 321 yards and three touchdowns on 30 completions.
A viral clip then briefly shifted attention to a supposed handshake snub involving Mahomes and Bo Nix, but the moment did not match what actually happened on the field. CBS Sports reporter Tracy Wolfson clarified that the quarterbacks had a long conversation after the game and showed each other respect, a small but telling detail after a night that had already delivered plenty of drama for Denver to enjoy. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Win Over Chiefs Raised A Bigger J.K. Dobbins Question
The Broncos Week 8 win over the Chiefs gave the offense a jolt, and Jonah Coleman was a big part of it with 104 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. It was the kind of performance that can change the tone around a backfield, especially in a game with that much weight attached to it, because Denver found production when it mattered most and showed it has more than one option to lean on.
J.K. Dobbins, meanwhile, was left with a much smaller footprint in the game plan, which only sharpened the questions about how the Broncos want to divide the work going forward. With the backfield hierarchy already worth watching, the possibility of Denver exploring another move at the position adds another layer to a situation that suddenly feels less settled than it did before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]