Nix was 25 of 36 passing for 216 yards, plus has a rushing touchdown. Lutz had 4 field goals. Denver D had seven sacks, forced two turnovers.
TAMPA, Fla. — From the opening coin toss, Sean Payton couldn’t wait to get his rookie quarterback going with his new game plan.
The call by the Broncos was ‘heads’ and so it was. Payton then made an unusual decision. Instead of deferring until the second half, he elected to receive. He wanted the ball right now.
This can fire up the opposing defense, but Payton had an answer for that, too.
Downfield throws.
The Broncos thumped the home-team Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-7 Sunday at sweltering hot Raymond James Stadium thanks to Bo Nix, their rookie quarterback, and a whole new offensive game plan by their head coach and offensive playcaller, Sean Payton.
Nix was 25 of 36 passing for 216 yards. Most of his passing damage was done in the first half when he was 18 of 23 for 169 yards. He also rushed for 47 yards rushing, including a 3-yard touchdown run and a 22-yard Houdini-like scramble in what has been by far his best performance of this still way-young season.
Operating with the lead, the Broncos wore down Tampa Bay’s injury-depleted defense with a running game featuring Tyler Badie (Ba-day, as it’s now pronounced), who had 70 yards on 9 carries
Wil Lutz continued his perfect season by going 4 of 4 in field goals (43, 33, 38 and 43 yards) and 2 of 2 in (33-yard) extra points.
With defenses cheating up to take away the running game against the Broncos and take away the safe passes by Nix in the first two games, both losses, Payton showed immediate confidence in his rookie by having him throw deeper passes. Right away.
An intermediate back-shoulder throw to Courtland Sutton gained 16 yards on the first play. Nix tried to hit rookie receiver Troy Franklin on a deep post pattern on the second play but pulled the ball back when the coverage was there. Instead, Nix took a checkdown to tight end Nate Adkins for 6 yards. Smart, poised decision.
On the third play, receiver Josh Reynolds broke open down the right side. Nix hit him for 31 yards moving the Broncos to the Tampa Bay 11. The Broncos’ offense shifted from first to fifth gear. Likethat.
Nix finished the drive with a 3-yard scramble right for a touchdown. 7-0 Broncos against the 6-point favored Bucs. Goodness.
Nix was 4 of 4 passing for 70 yards on the opening drive. And the touchdown run.
It took until the first series of the third game but the light switch was flipped. Then again, most other rookie quarterbacks stay in the dark until their second season or so.
The Denver defense, meanwhile, kept up its stellar play. It came through with a three-and-out on the Bucs’ first series. On the second series, Broncos’ safety Brandon Jones veered to the deep left zone and reached up to pick off a Mayfield pass. Jones then cut and slashed his way for 36 yards on his return, setting up first-and-goal at the 9.
It became fourth and goal at the 1 when Payton bypassed the field goal and went for it. A pitch to Jaleel McLaughlin looked like a 5-yard loss at first, but the shifting running back juked his way free and dove across the right pylon for the touchdown.
It was 14-0 Broncos with about 3 minutes remaining in the first quarter.
Third series for the Broncos, fourth and 1 at their 43. Up 14-0, it would have been understandable if Payton sent out his punt team. But this was the more aggressive play-calling Payton, the guy who had 9 top 5 scoring offenses in his 15 seasons with the New Orleans Saints. He went for the throat. Nix kept it with a run left for a first down.
Nix would throw downfield to Sutton, who won his 1-on-1 for a 17-yard catch. Then two short completions to Sutton and Franklin between a nice Tyler Badie run. A holding call on left tackle Garett Bolles and illegal block in back by left guard Ben Powers, though, left the Broncos with a third and 20 from their own 30. A quick pass to Franklin made it a little closer for kicker Wil Lutz, who nailed his 43-yard field goal.
What the heck was going on out there? The 0-2 Broncos were up 17-0 on 2-0 Tampa Bay early in the second quarter. Yes, the Buc s were mssing three key defensive starters — safety Antoine Winfield Jr., nose tackle Vita Vea, defensive lineman Calijah Kancey — plus starting offensive tackle Luke Goedke.
There are no pity parties in the NFL, though, not when the Broncos had two of their own starters, right tackle Mike McGlinchey and outside linebacker Baron Browning, placed on injured reserve this week.
Momentum shifted momentarily near the end of the half when Broncos’ running back Javonte Williams fumbled the ball away at the Tampa Bay 35 with 4:35 remaining. Two long runs by Bucs’ running back Bucky Irving – Nix’s and Franklin’s college teammate at Oregon the previous two years – pushed the Bucs to first and goal at the 1. Denver’s defense nearly held but Mayfield hit a well-covered Chris Godwin for a 6-yard touchdown pass, pulling the Bucs to within 17-7 with 1:50 left in the half.
But Nix smartly and efficiently led a drive from his own 30 to the Tampa Bay 20 to set up a 38-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining. One of Nix’s best plays was escaping a sack with 11 seconds left, getting outside the pocket and throwing it away to prevent a massive loss.
Nix had his 22-yard scramble in the third quarter that led to Lutz’s third field goal.
Lutz hasn’t missed a kick since last season. He was perfect in the preseason and is now 9 of 9 in field goals and 3 of 3 in extra points three games into the regular season.
Nix is still looking for his first NFL touchdown pass but there was no reason to fret on this day. This was the poised and confident Nix everyone saw during the Broncos’ preseason. After a two-game setback to start the season, hope is renewed in Broncos Country once again.
Bronco Bits
The Denver defense had 7 sacks of Mayfield, two by Dondrea Tillman, the former USFL/UFL standout who was promoted from the practice squad this week to make his NFL debut. …
Broncos’ safety Brandon Jones had 71 yards worth of returns — 37 on an interception and 34 following a fumble recovery. …
Sutton led Broncos’ receivers with 7 catches for 68 yards.
Offensive tackle Frank Crum, a rookie from Wyoming, made his NFL debut as a Broncos’ backup and special teamer. With Mike McGlinchey down, Crum is the Broncos’ No. 4 offensive tackle behind Garett Bolles, Alex Palczewski and Matt Peart. …
Rookie receiver Devaughn Vele was inactive for a second consecutive game. Even though he was fully cleared from his rib injury by Friday, he didn’t get the reps during the week. He should be ready to go next week at the New York Jets. …
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