In win over Panthers, Bo Nix looked like the QB he was at Oregon
Oct 28, 2024, 7:15 AM
The Denver Broncos looked great in all three phases of the game. They beat the Carolina Panthers 28-14, and the game wasn’t that close.
The Broncos have a 5-3 record and have a two-game winning streak. Up next in a week is the 5-3 Baltimore Ravens, and they are seen as one of the best teams in the NFL. It’s a good thing the Broncos took care of business against a bad Panthers team.
“Just a couple of notes. (I’m) pleased we got the win. There are a handful of things when you look at the tape, I’m sure we’ll see tomorrow, that we’re going to have to clean up and correct. And there will be some things that we really like that we did well. We can’t keep turning the ball over. That’s frustrating, and I didn’t like how it finished, but it was good to get a win.” Payton said.
Here are three observations from the Broncos win over the Panthers in Week 8.
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Courtland Sutton Gets Open Often for Bo Nix
Before the snap, a quarterback must identify where the safeties are at. If the middle field is open or closed is one of the most important pre-snap reads. The middle of the field was open quite a bit on Sunday, and that’s where WR Courtland Sutton did most of the damage.
Sutton was not targeted last week against the New Orleans Saints. This week, Sutton was targeted a team-high 11 times, catching eight of those passes for 100 yards. He became the first 100-yard receiver of the 2024 season, and nobody has reached the century mark at receiving since Marvin Mims in Week 2 of the 2023 season.
He was able to run deep in-breaking routes, and Nix made tough throws for completions to move the chains. Even if the Broncos were behind in gaining yards on a drive, one of those big throws down the field would jumpstart their drive. It was Sutton working the coverage, but it was Nix realizing what part of the field was open before the snap.
“There were some different coverages. This is a team that will play some base defense to your nickel. So they’ll be a little heavier in the box. I thought we threw it pretty well in the first half. Then I would say I’m anxious to see the film. We’ve run it better. I think we still had our rushing attempts, but we’ll see the film and get a better feel for that. We’re still not playing our best football, but again like I said at the onset, I’m pleased we got the win.” Payton said.
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Bo Nix Played Like He Did at Oregon
Nix was a great quarterback in college for the Oregon Ducks. Last week, and for most of this season, Nix has looked like the dual-threat quarterback he was early in his college career for the Auburn Tigers.
We didn’t see Nix run as much this week, and that’s something we should see going forward. A quarterback can be a runner, and it’s a great tool to have when looking for ways to beat a defense. When the play breaks down, it’s nice to have a quarterback who can pick up yards with his legs. It’s also nice to be able to design runs for your quarterback as it makes things truly 11-on-11 football.
Nix only ran five times for merely four yards against the Panthers. He was mainly picking them apart from the pocket – like he did at Oregon. He production as a passer, a career-high 284 yards passing, meant Nix didn’t have to take off to run. He was comfortable standing strong against the rush, and his passing mechanics were much better this Sunday.
“I think we have it in our arsenal. We just have to go out there and execute it like we did. I thought we did a really good job of starting fast and doing it early. We caught a good rhythm there. Everybody on the field was making plays. Receivers, tight ends, running backs, it did not matter. The ball was being dispersed to a lot of positions and I thought that was good. It is tough on a defense when we are getting all those guys the ball.” Nix said.
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Broncos Defense a Total Team Effort
The Broncos defense is one of the best in the league. They are a complete defense who can beat you no matter if you run at them or try to pass on them. The Broncos were able to harass Panthers QB Bryce Young early and often.
Young was benched earlier this year, but an injury to QB Andy Dalton last week thrust the second-year passer back into the lineup. The Broncos defense made him look bad on most every drive. They hit him five times, got him down for two sacks, and they picked Young off twice.
All-Pro CB Pat Surtain is a player that most quarterbacks don’t throw to. Even though he did allow one touchdown pass (the first he’s allowed this season), Surtain picked off Young on an overthrow. His play, and the pass rush up front made sure Young was miserable most every time he was on the field.
“Collectively as a unit, we can see that we are building on communication. All 11 (players) focus on the ball, and that has created success and generates turnovers. We know we have a lot more left in the tank, a lot more to improve on, and that’s the best thing about it with this defense and with this team. We still got a lot left on the table that we’re ready to prove.” Surtain said.
