Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix knew the boos were coming. They started early in the fourth quarter after one of the four sacks he endured in yesterday’s 19-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, and while the boos did start slowly, they quickly picked up momentum.
“Once one guy does it,” Nix said to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic with a grin, “it’s a whole thing.”
Unfortunately for Nix, the boos weren’t unjustified. With the Chargers resting star quarterback Justin Herbert and multiple other key players, the fans who watched yesterday’s offense-less 19-3 Broncos victory were hoping to see a complete game on both sides of the ball as part of a blowout win.
That wasn’t what they got, however. What happened instead was more of the same on offense—Nix struggling with inconsistency, the lack of a running game and long drives that stalled in the red zone. It was frustrating to watch, but probably not as much for coach Sean Payton.
“You can see the light,” said Sean Payton, who has delivered the comeback fans were hoping for in his third season as the team’s head coach. ” … That’s exciting. It’s why you do all of it. It’s why you work late hours. It’s why the players train and lift. It’s a big deal.”
Payton is right to at least some extent. The Broncos won 14 games, and they broke the stranglehold the Kansas City Chiefs have held on the division title. Whatever AFC team comes to Mile High in two weeks will be walking into a buzzsaw as they face the Broncos sack-happy defense.
Ironically, it was defensive back Ja’Quan McMillian who tried to put it all in perspective. McMillian scored the lone touchdown of the game on a 45-yard pick six of Chargers quarterback Trey Lance in the first quarter, and he emphasized the importance of getting on a roll in earning the top seed.
“It’s our job to give them a good, quality experience,” Nix said. “They show up to see us win. Obviously, we’ve won a lot of games this year, but it’s good. They’re not going to be complacent. They want more. I hope we’re never just a fan base that sits back there and knows we’re going to win the game, doesn’t get on their feet, doesn’t cheer. That’s when you take for granted winning.”
Payton also talked about having some “things to clean up,” which has become something of a mantra for him when asked about the offense. The Broncos are a very good but significantly flawed top seed, and that cleanup effort will determine their fate going forward.