Bronco notes: Nix and Herbert to meet in battle of the Ducks

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As has been his custom following a win, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix posts some highlights of himself and the team on his Instagram account.

For clarity, call Nix the executive producer of the minute or so video, but he said Wednesday someone else with creative talent for such things puts it all together.

“I definitely didn’t do it. I’m not talented like that,” Nix said. “I just thought it was perfect timing.”

His published IG post Tuesday included two clips of Matthew Broderick from the Ferris Bueller movie that head coach Sean Payton referred to in his postgame press conference Sunday. Nix and Payton, you see, got in a sideline argument about a play Nix changed, and the coach later said his quarterback is like Ferris Bueller.

All is good in victory, and Nix doubled down on the Buehler comparison.

“Thought it was a good opportunity to use the game Sunday and have some fun with it,’’ Nix said Wednesday. “The guys liked the video and gave me a hard time about it. But I think it’s just part of the game that you can have some fun with and can bring smiles and laughter.”

Said Payton of Nix’s IG post: “It was outstanding. I think I like it (on his IG post) if that’s what the heart means. No, listen, he’s got a good sense of humor, and he had to have had some help. He had to have had some help; we’ll figure out who.”

The rookie Nix is showing improvement each week, at least when the weather isn’t awful, and he’ll have to play well again this Sunday to outduel Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in a battle of Oregon Ducks. Nix, who was Oregon’s QB in 2021-22, said he did meet Herbert on the Eugene, Oregon, campus a couple times. Herbert last played for Oregon in 2019.

“I played with his little brother Pat, and he would come back every once in a while,’’ Nix said. “He came to a game or two and I was able to be around him and talk and just kind of get to know him. It’s not we’re super close because we didn’t have a whole lot of time, but I do appreciate him coming before me. He played a while at Oregon, went through some tough times and battled through it and he won the Pac-12 championship and the Rose Bowl. So he’s one of those guys you look up to playing at Oregon and know he’s been in the league for several years, been watching him, been doing some great things and it’ll be fun watching him live and fun seeing him again.”

The Broncos may be without center Luke Wattenberg and right tackle Alex Palczewski against the Chargers. Both suffered high ankle injuries against the Raiders. In Wattenberg’s case, he had been playing through a sore ankle for a couple weeks. If those two players can’t play, Alex Forsyth would start at center this week and Matt Peart at right tackle.

Palczewski had started three games in place of injured Mike McGlinchey, who has been out with a knee injury. McGlinchey is eligible to be activated from injured reserve next week, although it’s unclear whether the Broncos having a short week with a game on Thursday on the turf in New Orleans will cause him to wait until the following week’s game, Oct. 27 against the Carolina Panthers.

Also missing practice Wednesday was receiver Josh Reynolds with a hand injury. Reynolds caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix with 8:19 left in the fourth quarter – his only catch of the game – then fell into the right corner of the field beyond the end zone.

The Broncos do have decent insurance if Reynolds can’t go Sunday, as rookie receiver Devaughn Vele is overdue to start playing again. Vele had a team-most eight catches in the Broncos’ season-opening loss to Seattle, but missed the past three games with, first, a rib injury and then because head coach Sean Payton wanted speed rookie receiver Troy Franklin to complement the team’s wealth of big-body, possession type receivers in Sutton, Humphrey and Reynolds.

The Broncos added depth reinforcements to their battered positions Tuesday by signing veteran offensive tackle Cam Fleming, center Dieter Eiselen and receiver A.T. Perry to their practice squad.

There has been some healing. Rookie running back Audric Estime (ankle) and cornerback Damarri Mathis (ankle), who have been on IR, returned to practice Wednesday and are eligible to be activated on the 53-man roster although that latter hasn’t happened yet with either player.

What a bummer, Pat Surtain has lost a tick of speed. During his 70-yard pick six of Herbert in a 2021 game, Surtain, the Broncos’ star cornerback, was clocked at 22.07 mph by NextGen stats, making him the NFL’s fastest defensive player that year. During his 100-yard pick six Sunday against the Raiders, Surtain topped out at 20.92 mph – but that’s still the fastest time among NFL defensive players this year.

“A lot of people questioned my speed coming into the league but to have that out there and prove them otherwise,’’ Surtain said. “I mean it feels good to have two pick sixes in my career just to have some bragging rights with scoring some touchdowns here and there.’’

Surtain has made All Pro and two Pro Bowls without getting many interceptions – he had just one in his previous 24 games till Sunday. But the big plays do add some satisfaction.

“I have to make the plays that come my way,’’ he said. “Every opportunity that comes my way matters.  To capitalize and make game-changing plays, I just love to add that to my resume.’’