The Denver Broncos are already sending fans on a full-blown emotional rollercoaster this season, perfecting the late-game comeback after struggling hard out of the gate. Former NFL quarterback Eli Manning, a guy who knows a thing or two about clutch moments and early game woes, just gave us some serious insight into why Bo Nix is at the heart of it all. Manning, with two Super Bowl rings and a career full of his own struggles and iconic clutch plays, believes there’s more than just luck at play here.
Eli Manning Breaks Down Nix’s Rollercoaster
Manning recently chatted with Colin Cowherd on The Volume and dove deep into Nix’s wild swings from early struggles to late-game heroics. His take? It’s about what kinds of plays they’re running. Eli explained, “The only thing I can think of is , as a quarterback , your two-minute plays, they’re plays you run in the fourth quarter, you’re down a little bit, you’re running the plays you’ve run the most.” He called them “Day 1 install” plays. Think about it: lining up fast, receivers are playing fast, everyone knows exactly what’s up. There’s no fancy shifting or motion, just solid plays designed to work against any defense.
For Nix, who can definitely run, it’s about timing. “For (Nix), a guy who can run, someone’s not open, he kind of knows it. It’s one hitch, two hitch, ‘All right, that guy’s not open, I gotta run.’” Eli said it simply takes time for a young quarterback to nail that timing, to know when to “take the checkdown” instead of bailing. It’s like the simple answer is always the hardest one to master. Nix is already a top QB from his draft class in Year 3, proving he can be a hero when it counts. But getting those early game snaps to click? That’s the next mountain for him to climb.
The “Jigsaw” for Payton and Webb
Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton is clearly feeling the heat on this early-game slump. After Week 3, he didn’t sugarcoat it, admitting they’re “trying to sort through this first quarter [slump].” He knows the moments aren’t too big for Nix, who “moves and escapes and makes plays,” especially when it’s crunch time. But that’s just one piece of the puzzle. Payton called it the “first part of the jigsaw,” realizing they “have to find a way to play better earlier.” That’s the six-million-dollar question, isn’t it?
Offensive coordinator Davis Webb has to make getting Nix going in the first 30-45 minutes of a game a top priority. They’ve got weapons, they’ve got explosive potential, but it means squat if they can’t put it together until the final quarter. Until they figure that out, this team won’t be seriously considered true contenders.
The Broncos get their next shot to figure out this early-game slump when they face the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday in their Week 4 showdown by the Bay. Can Nix and the offense finally put together a full game? We’ll be watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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