Bo Nix says talk of his struggles is ‘a narrative … something we make up’

Bo Nix isn’t buying the talk that he’s off to a slow start.

“Playing good, playing bad, it’s all a narrative, and I think it’s honestly kind of something we make up,” the Denver Broncos quarterback said after practice Tuesday. “I don’t think I’m necessarily playing any different than what I’m normally playing.”

The numbers say otherwise. Nix completed 16 of 27 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 23-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. That was Sean Payton’s first game calling plays after taking the job back from Davis Webb. Denver finished with 224 total yards and converted 1 of 12 third downs. The Broncos have topped 300 yards only once in five games. They currently are the worst third down team in the league.

Outside Dove Valley, the verdict is close to unanimous: The offense is the problem, and Nix is at the center of it. From Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan to national outlets, the criticism is getting louder.

Nix’s argument is that a handful of plays can change how a whole game looks.

“Every once in a while a ball bounces this way, or something will happen this way, and we’ll get a pressure on this look,” he said. “When we had somebody open, I had to throw it away, and I wanted to hold on a little bit longer, and the guy was open, and next thing you know, the stat line looks different. We’re talking about something completely different.”

He has a point — flip a few of those third downs and the offensive output looks very different.

Asked how he gets through a rough stretch, Nix said he handles it the same way he handles a good one.

“I’m confident in my preparation. I’m confident in my coaching, and I’m confident in our offense and the way we’re going to structure the game and call plays,” he said. “And I know we’re going to have things there.”

He didn’t claim everything is fine, though. He pointed to one habit he’s trying to break.

“I think sometimes I can have a tendency of overanalyzing and overthinking things, and that’s when I’m not at my best,” he said. “I want to have all the answers and get everything right. And it’s just too difficult. Eleven guys moving on defense, it’s tough to always figure it out.”

His fix is to simplify: “One, two, checkdown, that sort of thing.”

Payton has preached the same thing in recent days. But the all-22 film shows the simpler plan didn’t unlock Nix in the second half against the Chargers. Denver’s comeback came from its defense, which gave the offense the ball in Chargers territory on four of its five scoring drives, and from mistakes by a winless opponent.

Nix admitted the offense hasn’t looked the way he wants, but he pointed to the 3-2 record. Asked whether he hears the former quarterbacks breaking down his tape, he said he doesn’t listen, no matter who they are.

“To be honest, I really don’t. I couldn’t tell you one that has said anything,” Nix said. “It’s their job. It’s their opinion. That’s what they get paid to do, just like I get paid to do this. … Sometimes they can say whatever they want, and unfortunately, I can’t say whatever I want back.”

Next up is a Seattle defense that has more takeaways than anyone. Nix said turnover worries won’t change his approach.

“Why would I go out there worried about throwing an interception?” he said. “Just play the play. If the play’s there, hit it. If it’s not there, check it down. Run, throw it away, punt. Who cares?”

The Broncos host the defending champion Seahawks on Thursday, a short week. Despite the winning record, Denver is still looking for an offense that can lead them higher than last year’s AFC Championship Game.

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