SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Broncos coach Sean Payton is one of the finest play designers and play-callers in the NFL during the 21st century, and he’s got the data in offensive rankings over his years handling those duties — first as an assistant, then in 17 previous seasons as a head coach — to back up that status.
But where an offense and a quarterback can truly be magical is when the elements break down and the play goes beyond structure. A rusher breaks through the pocket and the quarterback must escape. Or coverage is sticky on the first two routes in the progression, and the passer must buy some time.
Either way, this is a characteristic that separates the superior from the serviceable, the heroic from the humdrum.
And Bo Nix appears to have such ability.
He showed it off Thursday in front of approximately 2,500 onlookers here Thursday during the Broncos’ joint practice with the host San Francisco 49ers. With Nick Bosa giving chase, Nix escaped to the right side, located Devaughn Vele and threw across his body as he headed toward the right sideline, finding the second-year wide receiver for a gain of 20-plus yards.
Such plays are organic and the result of innate skills and feel — yet the product of preparation.
“It’s something that happens naturally, but it’s definitely something you have to work at, take time working at it. It can be a strength if you allow it to be,” Nix said. ” Those plays are always… Can be good, can be bad, and I just want to go out there and make the best play and that time whether it’s running, whether it’s finding a person to throw it to.
“So, we’ve been practicing that, really this offseason, this training camp. It’s hard to kind of really do them because they’re so abrupt, they’re out of nowhere and so you just go out there and try to make a play and don’t make something bad, worse.”
Added Payton: “You can’t force that. We can design plays to get him out of the pocket, but I’m talking about when a part of your protection breaks down, maybe the initial route’s covered. He tends to function comfortably in that position.”
It’s also where cohesion comes into play, as well. Such plays are a product of time, repetition and familiarity built over years of practice.
That sort of connection doesn’t happen last year at this time. But Nix and Vele have a year together under their belts. So do Nix and Courtland Sutton; they worked together in the red-zone period for a similar connection that saw Sutton tap his feet in bounds for a touchdown.
“When you get used to that, and we’ve seen this with other quarterbacks — Aaron Rodgers in the red zone was one of the best. A play doesn’t develop, and he moves, and in concert, the play moves with him,” Payton said.
“It’s practiced, and then when you begin to see, it happened probably four times today. There are certain scramble rules that we discuss: far receiver, near receiver and backside receiver in regards to getting in phase with the quarterback. There are a lot of plays to be had.”
Thursday, the Broncos had them. And they’ll open up new possibilities for an offense that steadily improved last season; a unit that ranked 27th in total offense in the first four weeks of the campaign was 14th from Week 5 onward.
With Nix finding more possibilities in his “second act,” even better should be expected.
PLAY(S) OF THE DAY
While Nix’s connection with Vele was probably the most important in terms of previewing what is to come for the offense this season, the final snap of the practice was the most dazzling. Facing a fourth-and-14 at their 48-yard line, Ehlinger uncorked a moon ball and found undrafted rookie Kyrese Rowan on a post route in the end zone, and he got under it for the 52-yard touchdown to give the reserve offense the win in the “move-the-ball” period.
ATTENDANCE REPORT
Broncos inside linebackers Alex Singleton (thumb), Drew Sanders (foot surgery) and Dre Greenlaw (quadriceps) did not practice … Joining out of practice was safety Brandon Jones; Payton did not elaborate on his absence, saying there was “nothing now to report.” … Defensive lineman Matt Henningsen did not finish the session … Greenlaw is “probably” out for Saturday, per Payton. He hasn’t taken a team-period repetition since pulling up while covering Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins in a one-on-one period last week, but “will be back working full speed on Monday,” Payton said.
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BRONCOS CAMP NOTES
All four two-minute drill “move-the-ball” possessions went in favor of the offenses. The scenario was possession at the offense’s 40-yard line with 1:10 left in the fourth-quarter and a 24-21 deficit.
Ehlinger succeeded thanks to the afore-mentioned strike to Rowan. Nix guided the first-team offense to a field goal, with the primary thrust coming via a defensive-pass-interference penalty drawn by Courtland Sutton and an 18-yard pass to tight end Adam Trautman.
On the other field, San Francisco’s first-team offense drove to a touchdown against the No. 1 defense. The Broncos almost had the stop to hold the 49ers to a field goal when Pat Surtain II broke up a pass, preventing a fade-route touchdown, but one play later, Brock Purdy had plenty of time to throw, and when the receivers broke off their routes, Demarcus Robinson finally escaped Riley Moss after roughly eight seconds of coverage to catch a 14-yard touchdown pass. The 49ers’ backups subsequently drove to a field goal against the Broncos defense.
That said, the Broncos defense dominated for much of the day, thanks largely to a suffocating pass rush that was on point for much of the practice. John Franklin-Myers, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman and Andrew Farmer all logged sacks. Nik Bonitto, Justin Strnad and Zach Allen also generated pressures that would have been quarterback hits in game situations.
Jordan Jackson had a terrific day, with multiple other pressures and at least two plays that would have been tackles for losses in game conditions. Jackson, Sai’Vion Jones and Enyi Uwazurike were all disruptive throughout the practice, and could create a difficult roster decision if the Broncos choose to keep only six defensive linemen.
The Broncos defensive line and edge rushers also got plenty of push, with D.J. Jones, Jonathon Cooper and Malcolm Roach all bursting into the backfield for plays that would have been tackles for losses in game conditions.
Nix’s day wasn’t all smiles and sunshine; he absorbed a pair of sacks and misfired on a potential connection to RJ Harvey, overthrowing him when he was wide open.
WHAT’S NEXT
The Broncos’ preseason opener against the 49ers at Levi’s Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. MDT.
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