Rookie Bo Nix Secures First NFL Win as Broncos Beat Buccaneers

TAMPA, Fla. — The Denver Broncos finally achieved their first victory of the season with rookie quarterback Bo Nix under center, as they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-7 on Sunday.

A visibly relieved Nix, just 24 years old, reflected on the significance of this win. “You only get this moment one time,” he stated after the game. “It’s not easy winning games in this league. Our guys deserve this; our guys earned this.”

Coach Sean Payton made it clear from the onset that he intended to stay aggressive, despite the offensive struggles seen in the previous two games. After winning the pregame coin toss, he decided against the common strategy of deferring and opted to take the ball first.

Payton instructed team captains, linebacker Alex Singleton and kicker Wil Lutz, to communicate the decision to the referee. “Usually, he defers, but I guess he had whispered to Alex and Wil that he wanted to receive the ball,” said wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who was present during the toss. “I knew what the first play was – we go over the openers the night before the game. So when he elected to receive, I thought, ‘Oh yeah, he’s trying to set the tempo.’

Payton acknowledged the deviation from the norm, saying, “Typically, like most coaches, I will defer, but every once in a while, you want to send a little message. We felt like we had a good set of openers.”

After discussing the necessity of changing their approach in prior weeks, Payton allowed Nix to showcase his abilities. Nix threw four times during the initial drive, completing his first 28-yard pass to Sutton, contributing to a strong opening offensive performance.

Nix went 4-of-4 for 70 yards on the drive, capping it off with a 3-yard touchdown run, leading to an early 7-0 advantage for Denver. He concluded the game with 25 completions out of 36 attempts, gaining a total of 216 passing yards.

In contrast, Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles noted the struggles of his defense, stating, “When we didn’t get pressure, we didn’t tackle well. That was the most disappointing thing—the tackling.”

Although Nix is still in search of his first career touchdown pass, he successfully avoided interceptions during this game after throwing four in the previous two weeks. Additionally, he was not sacked throughout the match, which is a significant improvement for any rookie quarterback.

Payton quickly dismissed questions regarding Nix’s growth after the game, emphasizing his confidence in the rookie’s ability. “He’s won and won and won in college, and honestly, I haven’t seen him flinch. We had a good plan, and the players executed it well,” Payton said.

Courtland Sutton shared his optimism regarding Nix’s performance. “It was huge to watch him go out there and find his groove. It’s only his third week; I think we got to see a glimpse of what he could do with this offense,” Sutton noted. “We can only go as far as he takes us.”

By early in the second quarter, the Broncos jumped to a 17-0 lead and went into halftime at 20-7. The defense played a vital role, recording seven sacks against Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, along with an interception and a fumble recovery. As a result, Payton leaned more on the ground game in the latter half, with Nix attempting only 12 passes compared to 24 in the first half. The team recorded 90 of their total 136 rushing yards after halftime.

Nix remarked on the balanced offensive approach, saying, “We came out early and threw the ball, and then late in the game, we had to run the ball, and everybody in the stadium knew we were going to run the ball. It was a complete offensive game, I thought.”

After their victory, the Broncos will remain in Tampa until Monday morning before traveling to the Greenbriar resort in West Virginia to begin preparations for their upcoming game against the New York Jets next Sunday at MetLife Stadium.