Broncos’ OC points out one area that caused Bo Nix’s Week 1 struggles
Will Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix make a change to help him avoid turnovers? And will head coach Sean Payton chill on his team a bit? The Broncos’ offensive coordinator pointed out one area that caused Nix’s Week 1 struggles.
It’s as simple as fundamentals, according to a post on X by Zac Stevens.
“Joe Lombardi pointed to Bo Nix’s footwork as a reason why he [was] inconsistent throwing the ball in Week 1”
“It’s mostly just timing and where your feet are at,” Lombardi said. “A couple of the interceptions were movement throws. I think it’s just getting your feet set in the right position.”
Broncos QB Bo Nix looking for improvement
Lombardi said Nix isn’t a true pocket-passing quarterback. So the team doesn’t want to limit his mobility.
“It’s always a challenge with a quarterback like him,” Lombardi said. “You don’t want him to just be a statue in there. When he moves, good things happen. Sometimes he moves and throws with his feet not perfectly set. Most of the time, he’s very accurate like that. I think if he misses, it’s usually his lower body.”
However, Broncos head coach Sean Payton said the blame doesn’t stand at Nix’s doorstep, according to ESPN.
“I don’t know how many games I’ve called, but that’s one of those where I came away like, ‘Man, I’ve got to be a lot better,'” Payton said Wednesday. “… If you’re not careful, the game can be over and you’re on to the next game and you haven’t really … had the debrief properly. We’re really trying to pay attention to that.’
“If you looked at the down-and-distance, the hashmarks, some of the calls, from a timing standpoint, it’s more of some of the early plays, in the first half, Payton said. “And it’s cleaning up some of the details.”
Nix said he could have been better against the Titans. And he said the opponent doesn’t matter.
“It’s not about the stats, not about perfection, or things from the outside,” Nix said. “It’s about a standard that I have for myself. With our defense, we can definitely just make sure, at times, to give them great field position, and we’ll get the ball back. And we can keep going right back to work.”
BREAKING: Positive update clouded by disappointing news ahead of Week 2 vs. Colts
The Denver Broncos are gearing up for a showdown against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2 of the NFL regular season. Denver's defense looks in midseason form, and though the offense struggled, some bright spots should have Broncos Country more than excited for what's next.
Ahead of the contest, the Broncos face a busy practice week preparing for the Colts. On Wednesday, Nate Adkins, John Franklin-Meyers, and Dre Greenlaw did not practice, with Evan Engram being limited, and Alex Singleton, a full participant.
With Thursday's update, it was a mix of good and bad news, with a disappointing update on Greenlaw. As Mike Klis, Broncos reporter for 9News, shared on X that Greenlaw might look to ramp up practice next week in hopes of being back by Week 4. Greenlaw, as Klis shared, avoided IR, which would have forced him to miss at least four weeks.
Engram got another day of practice in, while Franklin-Meyers and Adkins were able to return to practice in some capacity. This was the first time Adkins has been on the field after suffering a high ankle sprain in a joint practice with the 49ers. For Engram and Franklin-Myers, they were full participants after either missing practice entirely or being limited on Wednesday, which is a huge win.
Engram had been limited after suffering a calf injury during the Week 1 victory. During the preseason, the tight end had some electric moments that Broncos Country is more than ready to see during the regular season.
Payton has been waiting for Adkins to return
Adkins' return was big for the organization, with a player who is eager to contribute.
Head coach Sean Payton has been vocal about how important Adkins is for what the team is trying to achieve. In August, the head coach was telling reporters how the tight end was a lock for the roster and how they're going to need him moving forward.
“I can’t say he’s going to be medically ready to play Week 1, but close enough to where we’re probably going to hold him," Payton said. "We discussed it the other day, he’s going to beat the short-term [. . .] Week 2, Week 3. He’s too good of a football player for us. We’re going to need him.”
John Franklin-Myers is back at practice
Zac Stevens from DNVR Broncos shared the exciting update about Franklin-Meyers' return after the defensive end had missed practice on Wednesday. He played in 36 defensive snaps against the Titans and finished with one total tackle and an assisted tackle. He was a full participant, which gives the defensive front a boost after he was limited on Wednesday.
In 2024, Franklin-Myers was one of six players to record at least five sacks.
A mixed bag with more positives than negatives on the injury front, with an exciting update on Adkins returning to the football field. All that's left to do is wait as the Broncos will release their final injury report on Friday, which should include some game-time statuses.
