Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is on the doorstep of greatness. Ranked No. 15 in PSFN’s QB Impact Score, Nix is slightly above average with a 77.8 score. To get to franchise quarterback status, though, he needs consistency. There are fleeting images of greatness (Week 4 vs. the Cincinnati Bengals) and images of below-average quarterback play (Week 9 vs. the Houston Texans).
The Broncos Win if Bo Nix Airs the Ball Out Against the Raiders’ Defense
What Nix shows up in Week 10? Like in Week 4, he is playing in an island game in prime time. And like in Week 4, Nix will air the ball out in prime time. Nix’s stat line in Week 4 is below.
29-of-42 passing for a 69% completion percentage, 326 yards, two touchdowns, a 7.8 yards per attempt, an interception, and a 97.9 passer rating.
Nix totaled six carries for seven yards and a touchdown as well. It was Nix’s second three-touchdown game. Since then, he has added two more, bringing the total to four. Nix has four come-from-behind wins as well. The Las Vegas Raiders’ defense allows the 12th-most passing yards per game, so it’s a good time for Nix to break out. The Broncos’ offense is No. 17 in passing yards per game.
ALSO READ: Bo Nix Must Put Offense on His Back Second Half of the Season
After Week 4, the Broncos have thrown the ball 30-plus times in four of their last five games. But two of those were due to the game script. In a one-possession affair all game, the Broncos totaled 37 pass attempts against a Houston Texans defense allowing the fewest yards per game, the fourth-fewest passing yards per game, and the fewest points per game.
It’s a subtle philosophical change to pass first that has us thinking Nix will air the ball out on Thursday Night Football. If so, the Broncos win convincingly.
The Broncos Lose if the Broncos Can Not Contain Brock Bowers
There are two options the Broncos have when it comes to containing Bowers. They can double-team him and dare one of the Raiders’ WRs to beat them. Or they can let Bowers get his and tighten up inside the red zone, where teams tend to play more zone (the back of the end zone is a 12th defender).
There are two ways the Broncos lose on “Thursday Night Football.” Playing with their food on offense, and not asserting a pass-first offense. And playing with their food on defense, and not double-teaming Bowers. In nickel packages, double-teaming Bowers creates a single high look post snap. In 3-4 base defense, though, it makes a cover 0 look, daring quarterback Geno Smith to beat the defense. The cat-and-mouse game should be fun to watch.
