![[original_title]](https://rawnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/1727044391_i-1024x576.jpeg)
TAMPA, Fla. — It took barely longer than maybe he had hoped it could, however the Denver Broncos received their first sport with rookie Bo Nix at quarterback Sunday.
And the visibly pleased, relieved 24-year-old was requested if he let all of it soak in a bit.
“Nicely, I’ve bought to,” Nix mentioned after the Broncos’ 26-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Raymond James Stadium. “You solely get this second one time, it isn’t straightforward successful video games on this league. Our guys deserve this, our guys earned this.”
Broncos coach Sean Payton, after the Broncos’ received the pregame coin toss, made his intentions clear proper from the begin to keep aggressive with Nix regardless of the struggles of the rookie in addition to the offense general in back-to-back losses to open the season. Payton, as a substitute of deferring possession to the second half as he, and different coaches, normally do after successful the toss, had the Broncos take the ball to open the sport.
He had informed two of the Broncos’ captains — linebacker Alex Singleton and kicker Wil Lutz — to inform the referee the group would take the ball if it received the toss.
“Often he defers, however I suppose he had whispered to Alex and Wil that he needed to obtain the ball,” huge receiver Courtland Sutton mentioned. “I used to be on the market, but it surely nonetheless sort of caught me off guard as a result of I knew what the primary play was — we go over the openers the night time earlier than the sport … so we he elected to obtain the ball I used to be like ‘oh yeah, he is making an attempt to set the tempo.”
“I sometimes, like most coaches, will defer, however each every now and then, you need to ship a little bit message,” Payton mentioned. “We felt like we had a great set of openers.”
After he had mentioned a number of occasions final week the Broncos would look intently at how typically Nix had dropped again to move within the first two video games of the season — Nix was third within the league with 88 dropbacks mixed in these two video games — Payton then selected to set his rookie quarterback unfastened Sunday. On that first possession, Nix threw on 4 of the six performs within the drive, together with the 28-yarder to Sutton to open the sport.
Nix went 4-of-4 for 70 yards on the opening landing drive and added the 3-yard landing run to shut it out for the rating and a 7-0 Denver lead. He completed the day 25-of-36 passing for 216 yards.
“We’ve got to strain the ball, it is popping out fast,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles mentioned. “After we did not get strain, we did not sort out effectively … and that was essentially the most disappointing factor — the tackling.”
Nix continues to be on the hunt for his first landing move of his profession, however he didn’t throw an interception Sunday — he threw 4 within the first two video games — and he was not sacked. As occurs with a rookie quarterback every week he performs, Payton was requested about Nix’s “progress” after Sunday’s win simply earlier than he shortly swatted the subject away.
“No, no, no, cease, cease … he is received and received and received and received [in college] and truthfully I have not seen him flinch,” Payton mentioned. “… He hadn’t flinched, we had a great plan, and the gamers did a great job.”
“Man, it was large … watch him go on the market and discover his groove,” Sutton mentioned. “… It is solely his third week, I believe I’ve spoke at size that it is nonetheless early for him … I believe we bought to see a very good glimpse of the place he may very well be and the place he might take this offense with him on the helm … we will solely go so far as he takes us.”
All of it led to a 17-0 Broncos lead early within the second quarter and 20-7 at halftime. And with the Broncos’ protection doing its half — seven sacks of Buccaneers’ quarterback Baker Mayfield to go along with an interception and a fumble restoration — Payton leaned extra on the run sport within the second half. Nix tried 12 passes within the second half, in comparison with the 24 earlier than halftime, because the Broncos had 90 of their 136 yards speeding yards within the second half.
“Got here out early and threw the ball after which late within the sport we needed to run the ball and everyone within the stadium knew we have been going to run the ball,” Nix mentioned. “… Full offensive sport, I assumed.”
The Broncos will stay in Tampa till Monday morning earlier than they head to the Greenbriar resort in West Virginia the place they’ll undergo their common work week. They’ll apply Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on the resort earlier than the pinnacle to New Jersey for subsequent Sunday’s sport in opposition to the New York Jets in MetLife Stadium.
