Sean Payton made it clear after the Broncos’ Week 7 win over the Arizona Cardinals: the organization has not wavered on Bo Nix.
Denver improved to 5-2 with the victory and stretched its winning streak to three games. The Broncos now have two games left before their Week 10 bye, with a home date against the Kansas City Chiefs and a road trip to the Carolina Panthers still on the schedule.
That stretch matters, because Denver should at least be able to reach the bye at 6-3. Week 8 against Kansas City is also one the Broncos have shown they can handle, having beaten the Chiefs at home three years in a row. That kind of game only feels winnable if the team believes it has the quarterback to carry it, and Denver clearly believes Nix is that player.
Payton didn’t try to soften the message when he spoke with reporters after the game. In talking about Nix, he got to the point fast: “He’s our guy”
The fuller point was just as direct.
“The confidence inside the building relative to his abilities hadn't changed at all... sometimes you're answering questions about whether or not... there's not one time where we were... he's our guy, and it was good to see him play well...”
Payton’s delivery may have wandered a bit, but the message never did. The Broncos have stayed behind Nix, and the head coach said as much without leaving much room for interpretation.
Of course, Nix isn’t a finished product. The first seven games of this season haven’t produced sparkling numbers.
But the Broncos are winning, and he’s been central to that. Since entering the NFL in 2024, he has done nothing but win, and through seven games this year Denver is on pace for its third 10-plus-win season in as many years.
That’s where this has landed for the Broncos: the conversation around Nix is no longer about whether the team believes in him. It does. He’s the guy, and he’s helped build the kind of winning culture Denver didn’t have before.
In Other News...
Oregon's Offense Just Got Needed Help As Bigger Absences Loom
The offense got a welcome lift this week with three wide receivers who sat out against Illinois now expected back for the trip to Northwestern. Evan Stewart, Jalen Lott and Messiah Hampton all give Oregon more options on the perimeter at a time when the Ducks have needed them, especially with Jeremiah McClellan still sidelined by a foot injury.
The bigger concern is how much longer the list of absences can grow. Dante Moore is not expected to return this season after suffering a concussion, and the offensive line is still dealing with its own hit as Dave Iuli and Matthew Johnson remain out indefinitely following surgeries. Freshman Immanuel Iheanacho is questionable, though he is expected to be available, leaving Oregon with some pieces coming back even as the overall picture remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon May Finally Be Getting Needed Offensive Help Back
Oregon has spent a good chunk of this season trying to survive injuries that have thinned the offense and forced the Ducks to keep adjusting on the fly. Dante Moores season-ending injury was the biggest blow, and the absences of Dave Iuli and Matthew Johnson only added to the strain, leaving the staff with less margin for error as the schedule moved on.
Now there is at least some encouraging movement on the perimeter, with Evan Stewart, Jalen Lott and Messiah Hampton all back in practice according to recent availability reports. That does not solve every issue, but it does give Oregon a chance to restore some depth before facing Northwestern, where the Ducks will also have to account for tight end Luke Dehnicke being listed as probable after missing several games. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons New-Look Offense Faces A Huge Test Against Northwestern
A new face is in charge of Oregons offense heading into this matchup with Northwestern, and the timing makes the test even more intriguing. The Ducks have moved on from offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, leaving a fresh-look unit to sort out its rhythm against a Wildcats defense that has been built to make quarterbacks uncomfortable and force offenses into long drives.
Northwesterns base 4-2-5 is anchored by an aggressive front seven and a secondary that can hold its own, with safety Robert Fitzgerald, linebacker Braydon Brus and cornerback Ore Adeyi giving the back end some real presence. For Dylan Raiola and Oregon, the challenge is finding the soft spots before that pressure tightens the game up, especially against a defense that has a clear identity and plenty of confidence in it. [Read more 🡒]