The costume spoke volumes.
At a Halloween party this week, Bo Nix and his wife Izzy wore “Top Gun” inspired outfits. Decked out in a leather bomber jacket with sunglasses and a crew cut, Nix was Iceman.
Ferris Bueller is fun, naughty, an expert on shortcuts. Iceman is more Nix’s personality: confident, driven, rigid and dedicated. He is known for following the rules and staying within the lines, fitting for Nix, who revealed on the Jumbotron last week that if football didn’t happen, he would have become an FBI agent.
Structure, guidelines, executing the plan – all these things are paramount this week. Well before the schedule, Nix has a chance to prove he’s a franchise quarterback on Sunday.
After an awkward start, he gave off those vibes in October, winning the NFL’s Rookie of the Month.
Typically, teams know by November of a quarterback’s second season if he is the answer. Nix shakes the Polaroid photo and develops faster than expected. His performance against the Panthers makes it easy to dream – of a winning record, of a spot in the playoffs. Wouldn’t that be something for the Broncos after years of wandering in obscurity?
But the question of whether this quarterback and this team are real hangs over this game. The Broncos have gotten big on the NFC South, Raiders and Jets. In other words, their CHSAA RPI stinks.
On Sunday, Nix can show that this team is not a fraud. The Ravens offer that kind of test, one that will understandably send many in Broncos Country into hiding, afraid to peek their heads above the covers.
The Broncos have, to put it kindly, withered in these places since Super Bowl 50. Put them in a big game against a good team and no amount of Febreze can take away the stink.
The Ravens are not an ideal match. They have reigning MVP Lamar Jackson. Although he missed two practices this week due to knee and back problems, he is the best player in the league. Sick, tired, injured, it doesn’t matter.
He also uses rookie quarterbacks to floss his teeth, going 8-0 against them in his career.
Confront Jackson without hesitation, and Nix will answer critical questions about his long-term future and his ability to rise to the moment. Beat Jackson, and he’ll be seen as the solution, because he just needs more weapons — the Broncos need to trade/draft/sign a tight end next week or next March and become a No. 1 receiver — to complete his development .
There is skepticism surrounding Nix. This week, the 33rd-team’s Dan Pizzuta ranked Nix 29th among starting quarterbacks based on skill and production, ahead of only Gardner Minshew, Mason Rudolph and Spencer Rattler. That requires Lasik surgery or a recount.
Even with his improvement, Nix’s accuracy and ceiling remain question marks. That’s what makes this game – and next week in Kansas City – such an important benchmark. Nix can silence critics and change minds by performing well against a Super Bowl contender.
He will be confident. Over the past five games, he has accounted for ten touchdowns and has a quarterback rating of 96.4. But the road remains part of his growth test.
Nix played well for one Tampa Bay drive, running past the Saints. But his overall numbers are the challenge in Baltimore. Nix has not yet shown that he can take care of the ball and take chances.
He hasn’t turned the ball over or been sacked in the Broncos’ three straight wins. This has an extreme value. But the conservative approach won’t be enough to upset the Ravens. He needs to make more plays on the field and with his legs.
He has averaged 144.5 yards passing and 40 yards rushing per game against Denver. Protecting the ball is imperative, but it will prevent a win if it overwhelms his approach. The Broncos aren’t winning a rock fight in Baltimore. They should score in the mid-twenties.
If Nix wants to impact the national conversation around him, he needs to make more plays — a 30-plus-yard rush, for example — and hit some deep shots. The Ravens’ secondary gives reason to believe he can. This group has been leaking oil all season, a mix of injuries, dropped picks and failed assignments. Baltimore has allowed over 300 yards four times and held an opponent under 200 only once.
Nix should keep pace with Courtland Sutton on crossing routes and connect deep with Troy Franklin or Marvin Mims Jr. You know, show a little bit of Maverick in his play with guts and instincts. And coach Sean Payton needs to keep Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull in the mix while Baltimore allows the second-most targets and yards to tight ends.
Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos takes on the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Oct. 27. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
This game will not serve as a referendum on Nix if he fails. But these kinds of opportunities are rare. The Broncos, like Nix, are sharp and healthy for their toughest opponent. And they are self-aware and fully understand what is at stake and what a strong performance would mean for their reputation and their season.
If anyone thinks this week is nothing special, he or she has been living in a spider cave.
For eight years, the Broncos have been in the spotlight.
This time feels different. They have Iceman. The stage is yours, boy. Show that you are the Man.
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Originally published: November 2, 2024 at 6:00 PM MDT
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