Following the Denver Broncos‘ 34-30 preseason victory over the Indianapolis Colts, head coach Sean Payton used to be understandably bombarded by Bo Nix questions. Nix made his Broncos debut, and even supposing he didn’t originate the game at Lucas Oil Stadium, he performed resoundingly effectively, defending the ball, tantalizing the chains, and placing factors on the board on four of his five possessions.
Sacks were conspicuously absent from Denver’s first offensive exhibiting of 2024. No topic which quarterback used to be on the field, the Broncos didn’t enable a sack, and after surrendering 52 sacks in 2023 with Russell Wilson as the key starter, the pattern used to be palpable.
Payton used to be very satisfied by how mercurial his trio of quarterbacks removed the ball, and the implications on 2023 and Russ — which is aged historical previous albeit — don’t appear to be lovely.
“Listen, ball (is) out. I luxuriate in the timing, the tempo of after we’re releasing it,” Payton acknowledged post-sport on Sunday. “That used to be a noteworthy scenario for us a year ago with the minus plays. We were in direction of the relieve—relieve half of the league—I whisper fourth. So, I used to be satisfied with the timing of what we were doing throwing the ball. Or no longer it is miles major.”
Ought to you suspect that sacks are a quarterback stat, then you definately cannot fault Payton for citing it. Clearly the offensive line plays a sizable characteristic in movement protection, but a perusal of Wilson’s profession stats existing how sacks maintain been a statistic theme that’ve adopted him for years. His profession practical for sacks is forty eight per year.
Timing and effectivity are hallmarks of Payton’s offense, historically, and these aspects were clearly absent from his 2023 iteration with Wilson below middle. Alas, that wasn’t an even quarterback fit for Payton — so powerful so that he and the Broncos willingly absorbed an $85 million needless-money hit to the salary cap to transfer on from Wilson.
Nix’s emergence will expectantly abet exorcise the demons of Payton’s frustrations from a year ago. Wilson landed on his feet in Pittsburgh, and the Broncos will in actuality rep to scrutinize him again rather rapidly when the Steelers arrive to Empower Enviornment at Mile High for a Week 2 matchup within the regular season.
Nix indubitably flashed in his Broncos debut, polishing off 71.4 of his 21 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, with a 102.3 QB ranking. He put aside 20 factors on the board in precisely below two quarters of play, which has Broncos Nation champing at the bit for Payton to chunk the bullet, and name Nix the starter.
“Yeah, satisfied,” Payton acknowledged of Nix post-sport, earlier than dishing on all three Broncos quarterbacks. “All three of these guys, I believed, did an even job.”
Nix’s resilience and avoidance of sacks and “minus” plays used to be one of Payton’s noteworthy attracts to him. Those traits, blended with his football IQ, management acumen, accuracy, completion share, and total statistical production, led Denver to make investments the No. 12 overall make a selection within the former Oregon Geese superstar.
The rookie first-rounder will originate preseason Sport 2 subsequent Sunday vs. the Green Bay Packers. Looking out on how Nix, Stidham, and Zach Wilson develop, the expectation is that Payton will develop his decision on QB1 following the Packers sport, and exhaust the third and closing preseason sport to resolve who’s QB2 will be.
The farther the Broncos rep from the disastrous Wilson technology, the less fans will hear about comparisons to final year. Nonetheless for now, that football trauma appears to be like to aloof be rather recent on Payton’s mind.
And for lovely motive.
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