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After starting 0-2, the Denver Broncos surprised the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday with a 26-7 victory, picking up their first win of the season, albeit in in fairly ugly fashion. With the way they outright dominated the defending NFC South champions, the overreactions are starting to pour in.
The Broncos' first two games were certainly nothing to brag about. It looked as if they were heading down the same disappointing path as in previous seasons, maybe even worse. Had Denver dropped to 0-3, it would have been a disastrous start to Sean Payton's second season in the Mile High City.
But can one game fix everything? Realistically, we know that's not the case. However, one game can begin the process. Still, Broncos fans should be cautious about any major overreactions, as there's a long season ahead likely filled with growing pains—especially with a rookie quarterback at the helm.
Overreaction: Bo Nix is ready
After two rough outings to start his NFL career, Bo Nix had his best performance yet on Sunday. One that even Sean Payton was behind. He went 25-of-36 for 216 yards, didn’t throw a touchdown, but found the end zone with his legs, racking up 47 rushing yards.
Nix’s touchdown kicked off the game for the Broncos on the opening drive. He started the drive by connecting with Courtland Sutton on a 22-yard completion, then followed that with four more completions. He was perfect on that drive, capping it off with a rushing touchdown.
“Perfect” is a word Nix hadn’t been familiar with since putting on a Broncos jersey. He wasn’t flawless against the Buccaneers either, but he stayed turnover-free—something he hadn’t managed in the first two games, where he threw four interceptions.
Does this mean Nix’s rookie hiccups are behind him? That’s unlikely. However, the progress he’s shown from Game 1 to Game 3 has to be encouraging for Broncos fans. He still hasn’t thrown his first NFL touchdown pass, only scoring twice with his legs, but the improvement is there.
Overreaction: Tyler Badie should be RB1 for the Broncos
In the Broncos' first two games, they failed to reach 100 rushing yards. They were just shy against the Seattle Seahawks (99 yards) but put up a mere 64 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In both games, it was Nix who led the team in rushing and still leads the team with just 107 yards.
Having your rookie quarterback consistently leading the team in rushing is a recipe for disaster. Typically, a strong running game is essential for a rookie quarterback’s success. Payton has tried several options between Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin, but the results have been underwhelming where the two running backs have combined for just 92 yards and one touchdown.
On Sunday, however, the Broncos found a bit of life in their running game when Tyler Badie entered the mix. Badie carried the ball nine times for 70 yards, with a crucial 43-yard burst that helped Denver run out the clock.
While Badie provided a nice spark, calling him the RB1 after just one performance seems premature. Badie has been the victim of roster cuts the past two seasons and now has just two games and 10 carries of NFL experience under his belt.
This isn’t to say Badie can’t become Denver’s No. 1 back, but it’s important to remember the Broncos entered the season with one of the more questionable running back rooms in the NFL. Even if he earns more reps, it might not be enough to solve Denver’s ongoing issues in the run game. As of Monday, he was moved back to the practice squad, according to the NFL transaction log.
