He is not Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. That would represent progress.
He is Dr. Heckle and Mr. “Pull the covers over your head and” Hide.
The way Nix is playing has gone from unrecognizable to nonfunctional. He has posted three of his five lowest career passing yardage marks this season. The Broncos ran 29 plays in the second half on Thursday night for 32 yards.
Nix only threw one pass beyond the sticks in 17 attempts. He averaged 0.6 air yards per completion. He is playing horizontal football, admitting there is a “disconnect” offensively that is leading Denver “struggling,” as Nix put it, to find explosive plays.
The main problem is Nix. And analysts are not mincing words. Amazon Prime’s Ryan Fitzpatrick, a 17-year NFL veteran quarterback, eviscerated Nix following the Broncos’ 17-14 overtime victory.
“I’m glad they scored the two touchdowns in the first half, but they were in four-minute mode when the second half started,” Fitzpatrick said. “It was really frustrating to watch. And part of it, for me, is Bo Nix is not playing competitively. It’s almost disrespectful to the quarterback position how he’s playing football right now.”
The stats are the facts. And they are sobering.
Nix ranks 26th in yards per game and completion percentage and is tied for last in yards per attempt.
During his rookie season he displayed similar numbers through six games, but ran 37 times for 180 yards and three touchdowns. This season, he has rushed 22 times for 37 yards and one score.
The Broncos are 4-for-26 on third down conversions the past two games. Sean Payton can only provide cover for so long before questions about Nix’s status grow from whispers to roars.
At this point, Nix aspires to be a game manager. His goal is to avoid turnovers and sacks. Payton’s first-half play-calling was on point. But he cannot script an entire game.
It sure looked like Payton did not trust Nix to make plays after halftime. And Nix followed suit by not making any. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Winning this way — Denver’s 168 yards were the fewest by a winning team in league history in an overtime game — is not sustainable.
Nix lost both his superpowers on Thursday — mobility and uncanny ability to play great late. Denver’s drive with 1:25 remaining in regulation was so embarrassing I felt sorry for Nix, having covered baseball players mired in similar slumps.
The Broncos had nine three-and-outs.
Until Nix proves he can regularly complete passes of over 10 yards in the air, the Broncos’ problems will go well beyond Fitzpatrick.
The numbers just don’t make any sense.
If Nix continues compromising the defense, the Broncos will not keep winning games like this.
Pass the Buck: The Joe Buck-Troy Aikman drama comes as a surprise. They represent the NFL’s best broadcasting team, having worked together seamlessly for decades. But with Buck getting an extension and Aikman left wanting, it is clear something is amiss. Aikman seems resigned to leaving after this season. That will stink. Unless, of course, ESPN pairs Buck with Greg Olsen, who is the best analyst in the game, and Aikman lands on Thursday night with Ian Eagle. In this case, the change would be weird. But good.
Rox pitch selection: My Rockies Foul Territory podcast partner Ryan Spilborghs proposed a potential solution to Colorado’s pitching problem. Pitching coach Alon Leichman was fired this week partly because calling pitches from the dugout failed, undermining his credibility with veteran pitchers. What if, as Spilborghs suggested, the backup catcher called the game from the dugout? Brett Sullivan relaying signals to Hunter Goodman? This is worth an experiment.
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