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Before Bo Nix took a victory lap around Empower Field to celebrate the Broncos’ first playoff berth in nine years, the rookie quarterback first had to earn the trust of his teammates.
This was won on a Friday morning in August during a joint practice with the Packers. And Nix only needed four plays in a two-minute drill to do it.
The first-round pick quickly led Denver down the field, put his team in scoring position and created more separation between himself and Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson in the team’s starting quarterback competition.
“We got within five yards of the goal and (Green Bay) said, ‘Let’s do it again,'” wide receiver Courtland Sutton recalled after the Broncos beat Kansas City, 38-0, Sunday to clinch a spot in the playoffs.
“To see a young guy like Bo — it was probably three weeks into training camp — go out there and orchestrate a two-minute drill against a defense of that caliber was really encouraging.”
Green Bay arrived in Denver as one of the best teams in the NFC, led by star quarterback Jordan Love. The Broncos, on the other hand, had low expectations after seven straight losing seasons.
That morning, the Heisman finalist made a statement. Nix was sharp, played with pace and took care of the football. His teammates noticed. More importantly, the “young and hungry” Broncos realized they wouldn’t have to wait to become playoff contenders.
The time had come.
“Against Green Bay, you’re competing against live balls, and you go down (on the field) several times during the two-minute drill, and you’re like, ‘OK, this kid’s got something special,’ Mike is right. » said McGlinchey. “It’s made of what it takes.”
On the other practice field, Denver’s defense wreaked havoc, foreshadowing the unit’s regular-season dominance. Edge edge rusher Nik Bonitto played like the Pro Bowler he proved to be, recording multiple pressures during the team period and even forcing Love to throw a pick-six.
Love struggled against the Broncos secondary. In the two-minute span, he nearly threw two interceptions. Then, on third down, star cornerback Pat Surtain II disrupted a pass to Romeo Doubs. Green Bay’s first-team offense retreated to the sidelines.
Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said afterward that the Broncos humiliated the Packers. Denver added salt to the wound with a 27-2 win in the preseason home game a few days later. The defense forced two turnovers and held Green Bay to 168 yards. Nix shined, completing 8 of 9 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown in his first and only preseason start.
“For a few days we stood out,” McGlinchey said. “It gave us the belief that we can compete with anyone.”
A few months later, their trust was rewarded.
Against a resting Chiefs defense with several starters, Nix showed the same effectiveness as against the Packers. He completed his first 18 pass attempts – the most by any rookie to open a game in NFL history – and finished with 321 yards and four touchdowns to secure Denver’s 10th victory. His performance capped a remarkable regular season, in which he recorded 3,775 passing yards and 34 total touchdowns – the third most by a rookie in NFL history.
Heading into Sunday’s game against the Bills in the Wild Card round, the Broncos are 8.5-point underdogs. Yet their trust in Nix, first established that day in August, remains strong.
“We have a relentless quarterback, No. 10,” left tackle Garett Bolles said. “…Let the skeptics doubt.”
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