There will be hand wringing on Monday in Denver. That’s what Broncos Country does.
It won’t matter that the Broncos beat the Texans on Sunday, moving to 7-2 on the season. The fact that Denver is tied for the best record in the AFC won’t stifle the worrying, either.
Nope. There will still be naysayers. There will still be those who will pick apart the Broncos seventh-straight win.
The “concerns” are so predictable. Here’s what they’ll be…
A. Denver needed a last-second field goal to beat a team led by Davis Mills. If C.J. Stroud hadn’t been knocked out of the game in the first half with a concussion, the Texans wouldn’t have settled for five field goals.
B. The Broncos only managed seven points through the first three quarters of the game. It took another fourth-quarter rally to beat a mediocre team, a pattern for success that isn’t sustainable.
C. Bo Nix wasn’t very good. The second-year quarterback was 18-of-37 on the day for 173 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw an interceptions and finished the game with a measly 68.9 QB rating.
Blah. Blah. Blah.
What is the fascination with “style points” in the Mile High City? What is being used as the benchmark for what a “playoff-caliber” team is supposed to look like?
Perhaps it’s the Peyton Manning-led offenses. Maybe it’s the 2013 juggernaut, a team set an NFL record for points scored. It could be that entire four-year era.
Whatever it is, it’s an unrealistic expectation. And it’s spoiling the fun of what’s turning into a magical season.
That level of offensive prowess isn’t necessary for success in the NFL. It’s the outlier. This is the norm.
Did Nix and company sputter for most of the game against the Texans? Yep. But when it mattered most, when they really needed it, they came to life. And that’s all that matters.
They put together an eight-play, 61-yard drive to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Then, they moved 48 yards in six plays in the final 50 seconds to win the game.
What else matters? A win is a win is a win.
But it’s not just that. It’s the fact that Nix has created a belief that is hard to deny. It’s Tebow-esque. In fact, it’s Elway-like.
Back when No. 7 was racking up fourth-quarter comebacks, there was always a sense that the Hall of Fame quarterback could lead his team to victory. No matter the deficit or situation, everyone always thought that John just needed one more possession in order to pull out the miracle. It didn’t matter how poorly he had played up until that point, which was often an ugly scene, there was always the hint that he’d pull victory from the jaws of defeat.
It’s starting to get that way with Nix. In Sunday’s win, it was hard not to have an inkling that as long as Denver kept it close, the QB would pull it out in the end.
Much like Elway, it doesn’t matter how he plays through the first 45 minutes of the game. As long as there is time left on the clock, he still has a chance.
That’s the part about No. 7 that most people don’t remember. Early in his career, there was a reason why Elway had to lead so many late-game thrillers. He was often pretty brutal up until crunch time.
The 21-19 rally against the Colts in 1983? Elway had led his offense to zero points through three quarters. The crazy 20-19 comeback against the Chiefs in 1992? John had put six points on the board midway through the fourth.
No one remembers the long stretches of bad play, however. They’ve forgotten the quarter after quarter of anemic offense.
Instead, they only remember the comebacks. They only remember the clutch plays in the big moments.
That’s how it will end up being with Nix. He has that gene. And it’s been evident throughout this season.
Case in point: Look at the quarterback’s ability to convert on crucial two-point plays.
Down 17-3 in Philly, the Broncos rallied to cut the score to 17-16 in the fourth quarter. Nix hit Troy Franklin to take the lead 18-17.
During the furious comeback against the Giants, it was a pair of conversions that got Denver back into the game. If Nix doesn’t hit Courtland Sutton and Franklin, a 26-12 game spirals out of reach.
And yesterday was more of the same. R.J. Harvey hauled in a 27-yard touchdown pass to make it 15-13 with 12:28 to play. But if Nix doesn’t hit Franklin (sense a pattern?), the Broncos are chasing the Texans the rest of the way.
That’s why a missed throw here and there in the first half doesn’t matter. It’s the reason a bad pick now and again isn’t worth fretting, either.
When the game is on the line, when a play has to be made, Nix makes it. Nearly every time. Suddenly, errant throws become pinpoint passes. Out of nowhere, the quarterback starts scrambling to move the chains and keep drives (and hopes) alive.
That’s what the great ones do. That’s what will be remembered.
So it’s time to stop holding this Broncos team, and particularly Denver’s offense, to some absurd standard of excellence. Who cares about numbers? Stats are for nerds.
They’re 7-2. And they’ve reached that point because their quarterback makes plays when it matters most.
That’s all that matters. End of story.