Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton dismissed Bo Nix benching speculation on Monday, telling a reporter flatly that he has not considered a quarterback change. “To answer your question, no,” Payton said when asked whether he’s weighed making a switch at the position.
The question came two days after Denver escaped with a 17-14 overtime win over Seattle on Thursday, a game in which Nix completed 17 of 27 passes for just 107 yards and no touchdowns. The win kept the Broncos at 4-2 on the season, but it did little to quiet concerns about the offense’s production under Nix.
Payton’s Response To The Speculation
Payton didn’t just deny considering a benching. He framed Nix’s recent struggles as a product of the offense around him rather than a reflection of the quarterback himself. “He’s going to become the byproduct of all the finer things that get improved.
The improved play from our offensive line, the more efficient we are relative to balance, running the football. That’s our jobs as coaches here,” Payton said.
That response lines up with comments Payton made earlier in the week, when he told Nix to “let it rip” and added, “I’ve said to him, ‘Man, you’re the guy we wanted here, let’s go. You’ve done a ton of things well.'” The phrase was a reference to the television show “The Bear,” according to USA Today.
What It Means For The Offense
Part of Nix’s recent difficulty traces back to a playcalling change. Payton took over playcalling duties from offensive coordinator Davis Webb in Week 5, a shift that has complicated things for Nix rather than simplified them, according to Fox Sports reporter Jay Glazer. “When David Webb took over, he completely changed the terminology on the offensive side of the ball for Bo Nix.
Well, now that Sean Payton is taking it back over, it’s like going back to a whole different language than you used to know. At this point, [Nix’s] head is just spinning,” Glazer said, via FOX Sports.
Glazer also relayed Payton’s belief that Nix will return to form. “Sean Payton’s like, ‘I have confidence he’s going to get back to the Bo Nix that we saw in the past couple of years,'” Glazer said. The Broncos quarterback has a 28-12 record as a starter in Denver, a mark Payton’s camp has pointed to as evidence of Nix’s track record before this season’s bumps.
Season Numbers Behind The Concern
Through six games, Nix has thrown for 1,049 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions on a 60.3 percent completion rate, according to Yahoo Sports. Denver’s 4-2 record has come despite those numbers rather than because of them.
One statistical quirk adds context to the criticism. Nix throws from an average depth of 9.05 yards behind the line of scrimmage upon release, deeper than any other quarterback in the league, per Next Gen Stats. That tendency has drawn scrutiny from outside voices, including Prime Video’s Ryan Fitzpatrick, who called Nix’s performance against Seattle “garbage.”
Payton declined to engage with that criticism directly. “I try to focus on the next day here. We’re trying to focus on getting ready to play Arizona.
That’s kind of where our attention is,” he said.
What’s Next
The Broncos turn their attention to the Arizona Cardinals, the matchup Payton pointed to as the team’s current focus. Denver will look for its playcalling changes and offensive line play to start translating into the kind of balance Payton says will benefit Nix going forward.
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