Former Broncos Coach Offers Polarizing QB Comparison for Bo Nix
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Bo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos drops back to pass against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Denver Broncos will hit the road in Week 5 to take on the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, and one of their coaches dropped a noteworthy take on second-year quarterback Bo Nix.
Nix was the No. 12 overall pick of the 2024 draft, and he had a record-setting season with the Broncos as a rookie.
But Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio sees shades of another QB in Nix.
Eagles DC Vic Fangio Compares Bo Nix to Baker Mayfield
Fangio helped the Eagles boast the No. 1 overall defense and the second-ranked scoring unit in 2024 en route to the Super Bowl. This season, Fangio’s Eagles are 22nd and 15th in those categories, respectively, but remain a threat that Nix and the Broncos cannot overlook.
They certainly are not overlooking Nix.
“He’s a lot like Baker Mayfield. I think he might be Baker’s younger brother. Really good. Really, really good,” Fangio told reporters on September 30.
“He’s a scrambler. He’s a competitor. He’ll throw the ball in tight places. He runs their offense really well. I think Sean’s done a great job bringing him along, and they got their quarterback for the future. They looked long and hard for many years and have got one.”
The Broncos need Nix to avoid the type of mistakes Mayfield endured against the Eagles.
The comparison is noteworthy, given Mayfield rallied the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back from a multiple-score deficit against the Eagles in Week 4. The Buccaneers fell short, losing to the Eagles 31-25, but Mayfield clearly left a strong impression on Fangio.
Mayfield, 30, completed 55% of his passes for 289 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception in that game.
The Broncos surely hope for a more efficient performance from Nix in Week 5.
Baker Mayfield a Polarizing Comparison for Bo Nix
GettyBaker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaves the field after a loss against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mayfield was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft by the Cleveland Browns, 11 slots earlier than the Broncos selected Nix seven classes later. The Buccaneers’ QB was more productive than Nix as a passer in their respective rookie seasons, and in three fewer games.
However, Nix had the edge in rushing production and winning percentage.
Where the comparison gets most interesting, though, is in how Mayfield’s career went after that and how the Broncos hope to avoid a similar fate with Nix, who also has had critical turnovers.
Mayfield is in his third season with the Buccaneers, but they are his fourth NFL team. He spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams between tenures with the Browns and, now, the Buccaneers.
Broncos Can Get Payback Against Vic Fangio
GettyPhiladelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio looks on before a game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Fangio is now in his second season with the Eagles and 25th season as an NFL coach, and he spent three of those in the big chair with the Broncos. After the Broncos, Fangio joined the Miami Dolphins as DC.
It was there that Fangio was part of a lopsided, 70-20 Broncos loss in 2023.
The Broncos still have Vance Joseph in place as DC, just as they did in 2023, and they ranked third in scoring defense and seventh overall last season while leading the NFL in sacks.
Denver leads the NFL in sacks again, with 15 through four weeks. The Broncos also rank second in scoring defense and are 10th overall. Of course, Nix and the Broncos’ offense (ninth overall and 16th in scoring) must also do their job.
A complete reversal of the previous outcome is as unlikely as a repeat performance.
Still, the Broncos can exact some revenge against Fangio, however minor, and despite facing the Eagles and not the Dolphins, with a win in Week 5.
Yankees Will Regret Sitting Ben Rice
When New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone officially posts the lineup for Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series with the Boston Red Sox, don't look for Ben Rice's name, because it likely won't be there.
Boone is expected to go with Austin Wells at catcher and Paul Goldschmidt at first base for the series opener. And at first glance, that makes sense, because Boone is playing the odds with the Red Sox starting left-hander Garrett Crochet in Game 1.
Rice is slashing .208/.271/.481 against left-handers this year, and keep in mind, Crochet is in the running for the American League Cy Young Award.
Wells is having a bit more success with southpaws, slashing .240/.285/.448. Goldschmidt is even better: .336/.411/.570.
When asked why he will go with Wells over Rice, Boone said, "Because I think Wells is really good back there and he's been really good with [Max] Fried. Wellsy is actually swinging the bat really good here down the stretch as well.
"Just because Rice isn't in there doesn't mean he doesn't impact the game in a big way," Boone continued, according to the New York Daily News' Gary Phillips. "Like that's a big thing with a lot of these matchups, it's like sometimes you're putting them in a better spot to impact the game. Sometimes when they're coming off the bench in a situation, whatever it may be."
However that doesn't take into account the fact that Rice was one of the Yankees' hottest hitters during the stretch run. He slashed .301/.333/.554 over the final 30 days of the season with four home runs and 14 RBIs.
Wells over the last 30 games? He hit .276 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Goldschmidt? Just .224 with no home runs and two RBIs. Yes. Just two RBIs over the last month of the regular season.
Rice finished the season fifth on the Yankees with 26 home runs. In the playoffs, you ride or die with your best players. On a team which lives and dies by the long ball, putting Rice on the bench just doesn't make sense.
