Upon Further Review: Two Bo Nix throws against Falcons show rookie QB’s rapid growth

Sean Payton ended his Monday conference call with a quip.

“It’s Bo Nix day, huh?” he said with a dash of (perhaps forced) incredulity after nearly every question centered on his rookie quarterback.

Sunday certainly was.

Nix turned in the best game of his career in shredding the Falcons in a 38-6 win. The Broncos scored five offensive touchdowns in a game for the first time since a 38-10 win vs. Detroit in December 2021. Players across the locker room spoke of the rookie QB like they knew he’s the franchise’s future.

Nix did plenty of impressive work in completing 28 of 33 passes, throwing four touchdowns and playing his seventh turnover-free game in his past nine.

Two throws, though, are worthy of particular note for essentially opposite reasons.

On the first, Nix corrected a mistake from last week, played with rhythm and timing and threw a laser beam up the middle of the field.

On the second, Nix got a bad look post-snap, adjusted and made an improvised big play anyway.

In-system vs. out-of-system. Orchestral vs. jazz. Bo Nix Day featured a bit of everything.

The Broncos had the ball just above the two-minute warning in the first half but a long way to go when Nix made the first throw.

Nix caught the snap out of the shotgun, took a clean five-step drop, hitched once and unleashed a rocket to Devaughn Vele down the middle of the field. Vele, operating out of the slot, adjusted his route to run cleanly past the nickel. Nix fit the ball over linebacker Nate Landman’s outstretched hand and in front of safety Justin Simmons with the precise timing necessary to beat safety Jessie Bates, who was reading Nix’s eyes and tried to drive on the ball.

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The result: A 33-yard shot that ultimately set up a Broncos touchdown with 25 seconds left in the half.

Two elements stuck out to Payton on Monday. The first is that in a similar situation — end of half, trying to get points — last week against Kansas City, Nix didn’t see a wide-open Vele over the middle and instead threw incomplete up the sideline for Lil’Jordan Humphrey. Two plays later, Denver settled for a 60-yard field goal attempt that came up short.

“We had a different route, but Vele was primary based on the coverage, and we went somewhere else with the throw,” Payton explained. “Here came a similar type play.”

A week later, Nix aced the re-test.

Nix called Vele’s route “courageous” in his willingness to traverse the middle of the field and make the catch knowing he might get hit hard.

A day later, Payton asserted, too, that Nix’s ability to see the window and pull the trigger is evidence his rookie quarterback’s assertiveness is progressing, too.

“The windows are just quicker and faster in our league,” Payton said. “They’re open for a shorter period. I think that’s one example of many, but one example where, does he make that throw Week 1 or Week 2? I don’t know, but certainly we’re all getting a chance to see growth as it plays out week by week.”

In the fourth quarter, the Broncos had a run-pass option called and Nix decided against handing it off. When he pulled up to throw, he didn’t like the look of Vele running a slant against Natrone Brooks. As he bought a little time, Courtland Sutton went into scramble drill mode and eventually broke down the field. Nix lofted a jump ball that Sutton snagged over A.J. Terrell for 23 yards.

The Broncos got away with linemen being downfield, but when it’s going your way, it’s going your way.

Playing in rhythm takes a long time to get comfortable with and years to master. Knowing how to effectively find answers once a play breaks down is its own kind of quarterback art.

“It’s always adjusting on the fly and reacting to what you see,” Nix said Sunday. “You can study all you want, but I can’t go out there and predict what plays they’re going to run or what calls they’re going to be in. At that point, you’re just reading and reacting.”

The quarterbacks who can find answers in multiple ways are the ones who become exceedingly valuable.

Payton implored Monday, “Let’s not send this kid to Canton just yet, please” and noted that there will be more adversity ahead.

But Sunday’s look at what Nix can be both within the design of plays and when coloring outside the lines is sure to generate excitement.

One small thing I liked: The Broncos haven’t been a good wide receiver screen team in recent years, but they scored two touchdowns on the concept Sunday.

What’s more, Denver ran essentially the same play on both but dressed them up very differently.

On the first, the Broncos had three receivers, tight end Lucas Krull and running back Javonte Williams. Marvin Mims Jr. motioned toward the ball and then took a quick throw from Nix. He had Vele blocking on his side and the right side of the offensive line — Quinn Meinerz and Mike McGlinchey — getting out in front.

The second touchdown also went to the right side, but Nix was out of the pistol with Williams behind and fullback Mike Burton next to him. This time Nix got the ball to Franklin, who then had Burton, Sutton, McGlinchey and Meinerz out front.

“Ironically, we’ve struggled with receiver screens here of late,” Payton said Monday. “To hit two of them for touchdowns, I’m not going to say we were giddy, but it was like, ‘Finally.’”

One small thing I didn’t like: Nix didn’t put the ball in harm’s way often, but he did sling an off-target receiver screen out to his left for Vele midway through the third quarter. Nix left the ball in a bad spot — in front of Vele — and was fortune the crashing Brooks didn’t come away with an interception. OK, Sean, he’s not headed for Canton just yet.

One trend to watch: The Broncos all year have used pre-snap motion less than anybody else in the NFL. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, it’s a lot less.

Sunday, though, Denver used pre-snap motion on 38 of 60 snaps or 63.3%, easily a season high.

Funny enough, 63.3% would only rank No. 15 league-wide as a season rate. But the Broncos’ usage has been on an upward trajectory. Their three highest motion rates of the season have come the past three weeks. More broadly, Denver averaged 32.6% the first six weeks and has been at 44.1% the past five.

Still, Denver’s overall season rate of 38% is last in the NFL by a wide margin, per NGS data. Miami leads the NFL at 82% and the top four spots — L.A. Rams, San Francisco and Green Bay — are occupied by Shanahan-esque offenses. Washington is No. 31 at 48.8% and, interestingly, all four teams playing a rookie quarterback are ranked No. 20 or lower.

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