The Denver Broncos have shown they can find another gear when the pressure reaches its peak. But for former quarterback Kurt Warner, the bigger concern is why that urgency and execution are not translated into consistent offensive production throughout the game. Even after Bo Nix’s promise, the Broncos’ repeated struggles have raised questions about how the QB is operating within the offense.
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Speaking of the Denver Broncos’ offensive issues on The Rich Eisen Show, Kurt Warner noted,
“The ironic thing is that when we get into late-game situations, and he’s (Bo Nix) got to make plays, he’s shown that he can do it. He’s shown that he can make all the throws and make those reads and do those things.
“It’s just why is it not happening early in games? Why is there more of a panic early in games? Of course, he’s forced into it in the fourth quarter, but knowing he can play like that and having played like that in some moments, it’s kind of dumbfounding that this continues to be the issue with him, in my opinion.”
Pointing to Bo Nix’s performances, Warner acknowledged the young QB’s ability to deliver when the game is on the line.
Nix’s performances have fluctuated from week to week. After throwing for 288 yards against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, he managed 186 yards against the Los Angeles Rams and 214 yards in Denver’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
In his latest matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, he recorded 123 passing yards on 16-of-27 attempts, although he threw a fourth-quarter TD to Courtland Sutton as Denver went on to a 23-17 victory.
The inconsistency is concerning because Nix has already shown that he has the tools to make the necessary throws and reads. The only challenge is to translate those into a more reliable approach over four quarters.
“And at some point, he’s got to figure that out, figure that piece out of it, where he can get back to his drop or time his drop better so he can see what’s going on and take some of these layups or some of these plays that are right within structure, that you’re just not going to be able to live in this, hit the back foot, run around, and think you’re going to create plays for 60 minutes every week to win games,” Warner pointed.
Warner also highlighted Nix’s tendency to abandon the pocket before plays have had sufficient time to develop. That habit can limit his ability to identify open receivers, work through his progressions, and take advantage of opportunities within the designed play.
Denver has won three of its five games, but its offense has struggled to maintain consistency. They have produced only 224 total yards against the Chargers, depending on their defense to force crucial fourth-quarter turnovers and help secure the win.
Warner also recalled asking HC Sean Payton about the QB’s movement during a production meeting the previous season.
“He (Payton) kind of just gave us the answer that, well, that’s kind of who Bo Nix is. He feels more comfortable with his feet moving, and okay, that’s great. But if you continue to miss opportunity after opportunity because that’s happening, something has to change.”
Warner stressed that Nix must learn to time his drop more effectively, remain patient in the pocket, and trust the structure of the play. While improvisation can lead to opportunities, depending on movement and scrambling for an entire game is not a sustainable offensive strategy.