To jumpstart Broncos offense, Bo Nix is going to have to start “throwing dirty”

Bo Nix has built his career on big plays. He has thrown more deep touchdowns than any quarterback in the league since 2024.

This season, though, he has been noticeably careful with the football. That sounds like a good thing, and in theory it is. Sunday in San Francisco showed the downside.

In the Broncos’ 24-14 loss to the 49ers, Nix completed just 1 of his 9 passes thrown 10 or more yards downfield. That one completion was a 30-yard catch by Pat Bryant, and it was Denver’s longest play of the game. That’s very little production for an offense that traded for Jaylen Waddle and made Davis Webb the play caller specifically to push the ball downfield.

On a recent edition of “Dover and Cecil” on 104.3 The Fan, Cecil Lammey said Nix has to change his approach.

“The thing is, Bo, you’re gonna have to see that tight window throw, and you’re gonna have to make that tight window throw,” Lammey said.

He explained why playing it safe can backfire.

“And I know that you’ve stayed away from those throws, I know that you’re safe with the football. You will get screwed by defenses who just know all they have to do is muddy it up. If you put a little mud at it, then he’s just gonna go off of it, because he’s a well-trained quarterback that understands if that look isn’t clean, get off of it,” Lammey said.

That’s the problem with being too disciplined. Once defenses figure out that Nix won’t throw into a crowded window, they don’t need perfect coverage downfield. They just need to make the picture look messy enough to scare him off.

Lammey’s answer was blunt.

“Guess what he’s gotta do. He’s gonna have to throw dirty,” Lammey said.

He described what that looks like.

“He’s gonna have to throw dirty. Which means, ‘there’s a double coverage, I gotta make that throw.’ You have to make the throw Bo. If you don’t make that throw, this is what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna muddy it up deep, so that it just gives him a bad look. The coverage doesn’t even have to be great, you just have to have 2 defenders in the vicinity,” Lammey said.

Lammey isn’t asking Nix to be reckless. He wants Nix to trust his arm and his receivers when the window is small but still open.

“The best quarterbacks make that throw Bo,” Lammey said.

With the Chargers and Seahawks up next, Nix may need to take a few more chances.

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