Film Room: Bo Nix's Cardinals Performance Changes the Conversation

The Denver Broncos offense finally came alive, blasting the Arizona Cardinals 30-16 on Sunday afternoon at State Farm Stadium. This was the perfect “get-right” game for the Broncos, as Arizona’s defense ranks among the worst in the league at allowing explosive plays. 

Despite some inconsistencies throughout the game, this was by far Bo Nix’s best performance since the AFC divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills last season. He unlocked the passing offense early, finally found his legs as a runner, and took advantage of his opportunities to make plays within the structure of the offense. 

Nix finished the game 15-of-29 for 222 yards and a touchdown, and added another 73 yards on seven carries with a 62-yard touchdown run.  That touchdown run was massive because it allowed the offense to relax and exhale, jolting some confidence into a maligned unit that has struggled to get anything going all year.

We’re taking a long look at the explosive plays in this week’s film room.

First Play of the Game

Sean Payton’s offense features a lot of dig routes, and Nix hasn’t connected on them nearly as often as he should. It’s a staple of the passing game, and the Broncos have several receivers who succeed when running them. 

Denver opened the game in an empty shotgun set, and the Cardinals run a quarters coverage shell. Notice how deep the safeties get in their drops, opening a huge window over the middle of the field for Courtland Sutton on the in-breaker. 

This might be Nix’s best throw of the year. Watch as he uses a subtle pump fake to freeze linebacker Jack Gibbens, then rips a throw right over his head. I hope this throw gets plastered all over the locker room to prove to Nix that he doesn’t need to be hesitant to “let it rip” over the middle of the field. 

Second Quarter | 3:57 | 2nd-&-7

Welcome back, Bo Nix! This 62-yard touchdown run was the longest rushing touchdown by a quarterback in Broncos history, the longest rush by a quarterback since Justin Fields ripped a 67-yard touchdown run in 2022, and the longest rushing touchdown of any player in the league this year. 

This is a great process from Nix, as he navigated a muddy pocket and slashed through the Cardinals' defense at a top speed of 19.9 miles per hour. Arizona was in man coverage across the board, and nobody had their eyes on Nix when he escaped the pocket.

The Broncos run a sail concept to the right side of the field, drawing nearly every defender to that side and opening up a ton of grass for Nix to exploit. 

Watch tight end Adam Trautman carefully. He does a fantastic job of manipulating his defender while Nix is taking off. He even flashes his hands to show a target, even though Nix is already several yards downfield. There wasn’t a defender within four yards of Nix until he got inside the 5-yard line. 

This one felt good. It breathed life into the offense as a whole, but it also breathed confidence into Nix. 

Third Quarter | 10:36 | 1st-&-10

On the Broncos’ first possession of the second half, they executed a beautiful screen pass to running back RJ Harvey for a 52-yard touchdown. This play was historic for Nix, as he became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to record a 50-yard rushing touchdown and a 50-yard passing touchdown in the same game. 

This is a beautiful play call by Payton. The Cardinals sent Mack Wilson and Kalen King on a blitz, and the Broncos' offensive line executed perfectly. Left guard Ben Powers is the only player with anybody to block for the first few yards, and Harvey was instantly off to the races.

Explosive run and screen plays can only happen if receivers are doing their job as blockers down the field. Watch Troy Franklin work over Garrett Williams and allow Harvey room to the inside. That’s textbook execution.

Shout-out to Erick Trickel, who called a 50-yard Harvey touchdown on a screen play in his bold predictions this week. Erick pulled some great numbers on the Cardinals' defense against screen plays for Dove Valley Deep-Divers Podcast, and nailed this prediction square on the head. 

Third Quarter | 0:47 | 1st-&-10

On the following offensive drive, Nix beats the Cardinals with a hole shot in Cover 2. Good things happen when Marvin Mims Jr. gets involved in the passing game, and Nix makes cornerback Denzel Burke pay for biting on tight end Evan Engram's out route. 

Nix’s eyes are in the right place here, which helps to draw Burke to Engram. This is a good throw and an even better play by Mims, who slips a tackle in open space and scampers for a 47-yard catch-and-run. 

Fourth Quarter | 11:00 | 2nd-&-15

Our last play is incredibly exciting stuff from Nix. Arizona is in Tampa Cover 2, and Nix rips a back-shoulder throw to Jaylen Waddle up the seam. This is a tight-window throw, and Nix had the confidence to put it on Waddle with the safety crashing down. 

First, Nix does a great job identifying the matchup, with Waddle drawing coverage from Mack Wilson running the pole. Nix hits his back foot and lets it fly, putting a great throw in the perfect place for Waddle to come down with it. Wilson doesn’t even get his head turned around, and Waddle makes a great catch for a 27-yard gain. 

The Takeaway

Nix still had a lot of frustrating issues this week, but I really liked the confidence he played with for most of the game. He showed better poise in the pocket, stepped into a handful of throws, and gave his playmakers opportunities downfield. 

This was a great building-block game for Nix, as several of these plays suggest. His early-season timidity was hampering the offense, so it was a breath of fresh air to see him let his hair down and hunt with the football.

Nix got active with his feet to open things up and stayed aggressive when he had the opportunity. If he can keep this level of play, this offense has a chance to right the ship and be a dangerous unit for the rest of the season. 

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