SEATTLE — For a moment, it seemed rookie quarterback Bo Nix might have packed a little Mile High Magic for his first NFL start.
With 2:09 to play in the fourth quarter, Nix scrambled into the end zone from four yards out to cut the Seattle lead to 26-20 and give Denver a final chance.
While the Seahawks put the game away with an impressive Tyler Lockett grab, Nix still gave the Broncos a chance on a day that featured its share of struggles.
"It was a challenge for sure, to say the least," Nix said after the game. "I thought they were a really good defense. I thought they played well in their scheme. I thought they rallied to the football. It was tough to get some explosive plays, and I think when you have a hard time getting explosives and you have to sustain drives, it can get you in third-and-long and just tough situations. Overall, I think as poorly as we did, I think we gave ourselves a chance to win there at the end. Our special teams and defense played incredible. They really kept us in the game and gave us hope. They battled.
"I think, overall, you like the compete [level] of our team. You like the look of [how] we never quit. We battled. It could've gotten out of hand, but it didn't, and we were a possession away from having a chance, essentially. Obviously not the original results you want, but I feel like we're going to have a confident group, and we're going to bounce back from it and continue to compete."
Nix completed 26-of-42 passes for 138 yards, two interceptions and a 47.5 quarterback rating while also being sacked twice, but Head Coach Sean Payton came away impressed with the way his quarterback handled his first start.
"I thought he seemed calm, poised," Payton said. "I felt that part of it — I felt like he was very comfortable and ready."
Payton also noted the need for the Broncos to play better around Nix. Payton pointed to several dropped passes — he said he implored the receiving corps on the sideline to get going — and a run game that was "not nearly good enough" as places where Denver needs to improve. The Broncos' head coach also said the team's protection was "average at best" and credited Nix for making things happen with his legs.
"I thought he was into it," Payton said. "I never felt like it was too big or confusing. He was sharp. I thought he actually extended some plays with his feet. And again, we'll look at the tape, but we have to be better around him."
Most importantly, Payton said he believed Nix "gave us a chance" to earn a win against a Seahawks team that battled back in the second half. For veteran receiver Josh Reynolds, who caught five passes for 45 yards in his Broncos debut, the resilience spoke volumes about the rookie.
"I love that: a quarterback that continues to fight," Reynolds said.
Tackle Mike McGlinchey shared a similar sentiment following the game.
"I think Bo did a great job today," McGlinchey said. "I think he handled himself well. It's a really difficult place to make your first NFL start, especially at the quarterback position. I think he handled himself with poise. I think he commanded the huddle well. I think he's competitive as all hell and lays his body out there for us. Really pleased with where he's going, and I know he's going to take the look at this and improve as much as anybody else on the team.
Though Nix was twice intercepted — including one near the goal line intended for Sutton that Nix later called "a bad decision" — he climbed the pocket at the end of the first half to complete a 25-yard pass to Reynolds that led to points. He also scrambled for 23 yards on the Broncos' final offensive possession to set up Denver's lone touchdown.
"We've got a team that's not going to quit, and we're going to put everything on the line," Nix said. "No matter if it's [an] ugly start, we're going to continue to find ways to finish."
As Nix moves forward from his first start, it's that continued focus and drive that will prove important — and the answer for Nix and Co. may be close at hand.
"I don't think we were far off," Nix said.
