Bo Nix receives one of NFL’s worst grades for Week 1 performance

Bo Nix didn’t play up to his standards in Week 1, there’s no debating that.

The second-year signal caller for the Denver Broncos threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in Sunday’s 20-12 win over the Tennessee Titans, and didn’t look like the same Nix that was making play after play late in the season for the Broncos last year. He did throw a touchdown to Courtland Sutton at the end of the half, but finished the day averaging just 4.4 yards per pass attempt, a number that’s not going to be able to go toe-to-toe with the best offenses in the AFC when the playoffs roll around.

Court is in session! @SuttonCourtland | 📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/Bkd9SaFIAT

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) September 7, 2025

Nix acknowledged the fact that he needs to be smarter going forward, and head coach Sean Payton defended the performance of his young signal caller after the game. However, the performance warranted some criticism, and Nix received one of the league’s worst Week 1 quarterback grades.

Bleacher Report tabbed Nix as one of just three quarterbacks in the NFL with an F for Sunday’s performance. The other two were Tua Tagovailoa, who had Dolphins fans crashing out on social media amidst a puzzling performance, and former Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, whose performance was so bad it raised questions as to whether or not the Giants should bench him for rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart already.

The 25-year-old from Oregon was fortunate that he had an elite defense on his side and an inferior opponent on the other side. It’s not often that a ball club wins a game when the offense turns the ball over four times, but the Broncos’ defense was too much for the Titans offense to handle, and still allowed Denver to emerge victorious.

Nix is going to be tested again in Week 2 when the Broncos take on the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts, led by defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, was responsible for the poor performance of Tagovailoa in the season opener, as their aggressive scheme forced the Dolphins quarterback to move off his pedestal in the pocket and make errant throws. They disguised their blitz packages well, and if Nix plays like he did in Week 1, it could be another long day for the Broncos offense.

Colts running Nickel Palms pressures (Tango) vs. the Dolphins.

Anarumo was in his bag vs. Miami…
— pic.twitter.com/U9BhUZUAxN

— Cody Alexander (@The_Coach_A) September 10, 2025

The Colts defense had the fourth best defensive EPA in the league in Week 1 (-13.12) to go along with three forced turnovers, three sacks, 12 first downs and eight points allowed. They put the NFL on notice to open the season, and the Broncos will need to button up a lot of loose ends on the offense if they want to start the season 2-0.

Will Nix continue to play this poorly? Probably not. First-week jitters are a real thing, even for non-rookies. Thanks to the defense, this offense has more time than most to get things figured out. However, with a string of formidable defenses on the horizon, Nix’s play needs to improve if the Broncos want to make it back to the playoffs.

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