Was Bo Nix to blame for the Denver Broncos' struggles against the Seattle Seahawks?

Bo Didn’t Help Himself

The receivers didn’t help Bo Nix.

The running backs didn’t help Bo Nix.

The offensive line probably didn’t help Bo Nix, although he’s partially to blame for the pressure he was under.

But Nix certainly did not help himself, either.

Nix must have thought the linebacker was going to run with Dulcich. The linebacker did no such thing.

If you’re going to throw this ball, you have to throw it early. Instead, Nix stared his receiver down, which signaled where he was going to the safety. Nix threw this ball off his back foot, so it floated. The ball was also short of where he probably wanted it, which took away any chance for Sutton.

Not good.

Here’s another play that wasn’t good.

My question on this play is whether it was designed for Nix to set his feet where he did, or if he was supposed to have a lane to the sideline. Dulcich was supposed to crack the edge rusher and set the edge, but he couldn’t keep him sealed inside, which might be why he stopped where he did.

But the more important point is that Nix made a bad decision and bad throw.

Here’s another throw that simply was not open.

Some of Nix’s mistakes weren’t as egregious.

Like this one. It’s a good read. It’s a well-timed throw. The ball just sailed on him.

Or this one, that probably could have been further out in front to give his receiver a better shot at the ball.

Or this one, where he doesn’t notice a busted coverage. Sutton is free for a deep ball. I can’t kill him for going to the short throw, but it’s 3rd & 6 and I’d love to see him wait for a deeper option to develop.

I’ve got one more play for this section. It’s Nix’s first throw of the game.

Nix rolls out off of play-action on third-and-short. Williams is running to the flat. I’m freezing it here.

Williams made a little move. He pushed upfield, then made a quick cut back toward the first-down marker. The defenders hips are still facing slightly upfield.

At the moment above, Nix has a window to complete the pass. It’s a window that will close quickly, and it’s a tough window to hit on the run, but it’s a window nonetheless.

Most quarterbacks can’t make this play, but that’s why most teams would like a better quarterback.

It’s no surprise Nix doesn’t make the play. It’s his first NFL pass. The degree of difficulty is high. He hasn’t played with Williams enough to trust that he’s going to cut back to the marker. He shouldn’t be able to convert the first down. I don’t knock him for it at all.

Eventually, you’d like to be able to make that play. It’s the kind of play that makes Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts and a few others special. Those plays are why it feels impossible to get off the field against the league’s elite passers.

The first step for Nix is to clean up the other plays in this section. Those are rookie mistakes. They’re either learning lessons, or they’re simple missed throws.

If Nix fixes those mistakes, he’ll be a competent NFL quarterback.

If Nix learns to hit those tricky, off-script, on-the-run throws into windows that are only open for the blink of an eye—like the on above—he’ll have a chance to compete with league’s best.

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