Bo Nix threw for just 123 yards against a winless Los Angeles Chargers team, yet the Denver Broncos escaped with a 23-17 victory. The offense converted only one of 12 third-down attempts, and head coach Sean Payton’s return to play-calling did little to fix its problems. For former NFL cornerback Asante Samuel Sr., the performance raised more questions about Nix and the pressure he is putting on his coach.

Speaking on Say What Needs To Be Said on October 12, the two-time Super Bowl champion argued that Nix has not taken the expected step forward in his third NFL season. Samuel believes that has made Payton’s job more difficult, particularly given the standard he established while coaching Drew Brees with the New Orleans Saints.

“Last season, he [Bo Nix] showed up and showed us that he was capable of doing some really good things. And this year is a little bit different, and he’s struggling at this point. You want to see your quarterback progress from the season ago, right? And that’s not happening right now. And with that being said, there he’s causing a lot of problems for Denver Broncos and Sean Payton because Sean Payton’s standard is above a lot of other people’s standard,” Samuel said.

“Bo Nix is making coaching challenging for Sean Payton and the coaching staff in Denver, particularly the offensive coordinator.”

Samuel pointed to Nix’s limited production against Los Angeles. The Broncos quarterback completed 16 of 27 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown. Denver won, but the offense finished with just 224 total yards.

Samuel also questioned Payton’s decision to take play-calling duties back from offensive coordinator Davis Webb before the Chargers game. Payton made the change after Denver’s offense struggled through the opening four games, hoping to improve its balance and simplify the game plan.

The results were mixed. Denver managed only 10 first-half points and trailed 17-10 early in the fourth quarter. The offense eventually came through, but it received significant help from the defense, which forced key turnovers and repeatedly gave Denver good field position.

Samuel believes Payton is trying to protect a quarterback he still believes in.

“So what does Sean Payton do? Because I think Sean Payton, he really likes Bo Nix,” Samuel said. “So Sean Payton is doing everything he can not to put the blame on Bo Nix because he believes in him at the end of the day, I guess.”

The comparison with Brees was central to Samuel’s argument. During their time together with the Saints, Payton and Brees built one of the NFL’s most productive quarterback-coach partnerships, winning Super Bowl XLIV. Samuel believes that experience has shaped Payton’s expectations of his quarterback.

Nix showed promise over the last two years, but Samuel said he has not made the progress expected from one season to the next. The Broncos are now 3-2, though their offense has struggled to match the team’s results.

The win over Los Angeles does not erase those concerns. Nix recorded his second-lowest passing-yard total of his career, while Denver’s defense did much of the heavy lifting late in the game.

Denver now faces a much tougher test. The Broncos host the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, October 15, leaving little time to address their offensive issues. Payton’s return to the play-calling role was meant to help get the unit moving. For Samuel, however, Nix’s latest performance shows why the coach still has work to do.