The Broncos got past an inept Los Angeles Chargers team on Sunday, but the win didn’t hide the larger problem: this roster has too many players slumping at the same time. Sam Jane’s latest stock report for the Denver Post leaned hard into the down side, and the list of fallers starts at the most important spot on the field.
Bo Nix is still trying to find his footing, and right now the picture is messy. Outside of Denver’s win over the Los Angeles Rams, when he pulled off one of his familiar fourth-quarter comebacks, Nix has looked shaky all season.
Jane called the rest of it a “calamity,” pointing to missed open receivers, a pocket game that looks uncomfortable, and a clear hesitation to challenge defenses vertically. He also noted that Nix has now played more bad football than good, and it’s fair to wonder whether the broken ankle he suffered in January has shaken some of his confidence.
Wil Lutz belongs in the discussion too, even if the damage isn’t as dramatic. He was money last season, especially when the game was on the line, but this year has already gone a bit off the rails. Lutz did make three field goals, so he remains dependable overall, but he has also missed from 42 and 43 yards, which is not the kind of clean start Denver expected.
The wide receiver picture is just as uneven. Jane’s rundown shows Jaylen Waddle has essentially been a one-game story so far, with his production outside the Los Angeles Rams game dropping to 10 receptions, 21 targets, 66 yards and a touchdown.
That’s a long way from where Denver needs him to be after making the big trade to get him. The drops have started to pile up, too, and Waddle is reportedly looking increasingly frustrated on the sideline because the explosive plays haven’t come.
RJ Harvey rounds out the group of Broncos trending the wrong way. He has talked like a player ready to handle lead-back duties, but his play keeps putting him back in the box of a third-down option. Harvey had a strong outing against the Rams, yet he followed that with just three carries for seven yards and didn’t catch a pass after hauling in 10 receptions on 10 targets against the San Francisco 49ers, per Jane.
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Bo Nix Admits The Mental Battle Behind Denvers Stalled Offense
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Denvers struggles have come with defenses shrinking the field and making the Broncos earn everything underneath, while the ground game has not given Nix enough help to keep opponents honest. He has looked more aggressive late in games, which only adds to the sense that the answers are there, even if the process of getting to them is still a work in progress. [Read more 🡒]
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Paytons message has been consistent: be more aggressive and let it rip. For Denver, that is the real hinge point now, because the Broncos need to know whether Nix can grow from a steady starter into the kind of quarterback who changes defenses rather than simply works around them. The wider AFC West picture only adds to the pressure, with teams around the division always looking for ways to upgrade and force answers, which makes Denvers own answer at quarterback feel even more important. [Read more 🡒]
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Denver's latest shift on the offensive side adds another layer to watch, especially against a Seahawks team that has been dealing with turnovers from quarterback Sam Darnold. If the Broncos are going to make this look like a step forward, they will need cleaner production than they have shown so far, even as bettors scan the board for touchdown options like Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Evan Engram and Emanuel Wilson. [Read more 🡒]