Bo Nix Scores Four 4th Quarter Touchdowns, Leads Broncos to Historic Comeback Against the Giants
Are you kidding me? Bo Nix might just be the best fourth-quarter quarterback of all time! Okay, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but Broncos County was definitely seeing shades of John Elway as Nix led Denver to an improbable victory through what can only be described as an acid trip of a 4th quarter.
It wasn’t until they entered the final 15 minutes of the game, down 19-0, before the Broncos decided to score on five consecutive possessions, including Will Lutz’s game-winning field goal. Their chance of winning this game was only 0.7% with 6:38 remaining in the fourth quarter (per Next Gen Stats). Bo Nix became the first player to throw two passing touchdowns and score two rushing touchdowns in a single quarter. His odds-defying performance made this game the most iconic win of the Bo Nix era! (I know I already said that in Week 5, but come on!)
Game Recap
I don’t blame the fans who left Empower Field early on Sunday. Hell, I even had a hard time keeping my TV on through the first three and a half quarters. Denver’s defense was getting gashed by no-name wide receivers and tight ends, allowing rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart to set career highs in both passing yards and passing touchdowns (per ESPN).
The offense was even more frustrating. They opened the game with four consecutive possessions ending in a punt, with the fifth possession ending on downs at the Giants’ two-yard line. After being shut out in the first half, they punted on every third-quarter possession. It seemed like every other play Sean Peyton called was a screen pass that got snuffed out in the backfield. I know screens are a staple in Payton’s scheme, but they seem way too predictable at this point. Opposing defenses are just waiting on them, and whiffed blocks make it even uglier. Thankfully, the state of the game forced Payton to place the offense on the shoulders of Bo Nix. With no choice but to air it out and play up-tempo, Denver’s offense finally found a rhythm and became an unstoppable force in the fourth quarter.
There were three lead changes in the final two minutes of the game. I thought Nix’s 18-yard touchdown run with 1:51 remaining was the game-winner, but the Giants and Jaxson Dart answered quickly. On the Giants’ final drive, Denver had a chance at intercepting two of Dart’s passes, but both opportunities for the game-sealing turnover were denied by friendly fire, with two Broncos’ players taking each other out on both instances. This, and a questionable pass interference call on Riley Moss, allowed the Giants to reach Denver’s one-yard line. Dart ran it in for the go-ahead score with 37 seconds remaining. The only problem for New York was leaving too much time on the clock for Bo Chapman Nix. With the game on the line and the odds against him, Nix threw consecutive 20-yard darts, one to Marvin Mims and one to Courtland Sutton, to put the Broncos in field goal range with 0:03 remaining, allowing Will Lutz to kick a 39-yard field goal for the win.
Big Picture
The Broncos still have a ton of issues to address, but after this performance, it's clear that they are never out of it with Bo Nix at quarterback. The grit this team continues to play with allows them to make these types of late-game comebacks possible. They are far from playing their best ball, yet they are finding ways to win. Regardless of how ugly the first three quarters were, the dub earned from this game looks just as pretty as the rest of 'em in the win column. The Broncos are good, but this type of win might be just what they needed to propel them to greatness. For now, they sit alone atop the AFC West and have a legitimate chance to make a run for the number one seed.