Sometimes it’s good to listen to the guys who have been through the battles and come out the other side. Guys like former Denver Broncos safety and Super Bowl champion T.J. Ward.
Ward found himself in the vocal minority by coming to the defense of second year Broncos quarterback Bo Nix after it seemed like the whole world had turned against Nix following a 10-7 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10.
The Broncos, as Ward pointed, out are 8-2 and have won 7 consecutive games with Nix leading the way, even if that path can be a bit unpredictable at times.
Nix went 16-of-28 passing for 150 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions against the Raiders.
“I like Bo, he’s not perfect,” Ward said on Gridiron: The Arena podcast on November 7. “What young quarterback is? You tell me to take a young quarterback now, there’s not too many you’re going to take over Bo … how he’s playing is more of a result of the system he’s playing in and how the NFL is now. It’s not like the pocket passers we were used to. We don’t want these guys standing in there and taking hits and getting hurt. The thing Bo does really good is he’s really good in crunch time. And we’re 8-2. How can you argue with that?”
Ward, a second round pick (No. 38 overall) in the 2010 NFL draft, played 8 seasons in the NFL for 4 teams. Ward was an NFL All-Pro in 2013 and was a 3-time Pro Bowler, as well as being a key piece on the Broncos’ defense on the way to a win in Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season.
Nix Takes Fire From All Sides After Win
Nix’s up and down play in his second season is probably the only thing keeping the Broncos from being 10-0 instead of 8-2 and the worry from “experts” is that Nix might ultimately cost Denver in the playoffs and with a defense that could be one of the greatest in NFL history.
“This was Bo Nix’s third consecutive game with an interception,” former NFL quarterback and Amazon Prime football analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick said after the win over the Raiders. “He has been wild and erratic and unpredictable this season, and you can see why (Broncos head coach) Sean Payton has been so frustrated at times. He can also be incredible and do things that will wow you, but you just never know what you’re going to get.”
One Nix interception at the end of the first half was particularly frustrating to watch as he tried to force a long throw downfield to a streaking Troy Franklin — who wasn’t open and had 3 Raiders around him.
The win over the Raiders was the second consecutive game Nix failed to crack 200 passing yards.
Broncos Have Wild Schedule Coming Up
The final 7 games of the regular season for the Broncos should be a rollercoaster — which means Nix should be right at home.
They host the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11 — one of 2 times they’ll face the Chiefs over the final 7 games — along with home games against the Green Bay Packers (Week 15), Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 16) and Los Angeles Chargers (Week 18).
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