GLENDALE, Ariz. -- After a 30-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday that included the longest run of Bo Nix's career, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton issued a firm vote of confidence for his embattled quarterback.
"He's our guy," Payton said.
Nix rushed for 73 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown dash just before halftime that the Broncos hope quiets talk that two offseason surgeries on his right ankle had led him to want to run less this year.
"I think it answers [the] question can he still run,'' Payton said. "Listen ... the confidence inside the building, relative to his abilities, hasn't changed at all. I appreciate some guys, and you're answering questions about whether or not, [but] there's not one time when we're -- he's our guy. It was good to see him play well and see us block well and make some plays down the field.''
Nix also threw for 222 yards and a touchdown in the win.
The performance came amid mounting criticism of his play; he entered Sunday ranked 30th among the league's qualifying quarterbacks in completions over expectation (-4.0%), 31st in QBR (38.2), 32nd in yards per attempt (5.6) and 32nd in air yards per attempt (5.4). He was also 36th of 37 QBs with at least 50 dropbacks this season in success rate (36.1%), just ahead of undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
With the score tied 6-6 and Nix having completed 8 of 14 passes for 64 yards to that point, the Broncos faced a second-and-7 from their own 38 in the second quarter. In a three-tight end formation, Nix took the snap as tight end Evan Engram, tight end Nate Adkins and wide receiver Troy Franklin, all on the right side of the formation, ran routes that took their defenders, in man-to-man coverage, to the right side of the field.
The third tight end, Adam Trautman, went from the left side of the formation across the field to the right, and as the Broncos' offensive line then carved a crease in a Cardinals defensive front in pass-rush mode, Nix turned a called pass into the longest run of his career and the longest scramble in the NFL since Alex Smith's 70-yarder in 2017.
He was almost stunned initially by how much open field was in front of him.
"This is who Bo is,'' Broncos tackle Garett Bolles said. "I've seen it all last year. ... Making big-time plays with his feet, that's who he is, throwing the dime, making plays, running down the sideline, he's like a freaking gazelle.''
Added Broncos wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr.: "I didn't know where everyone was. I was [standing] at like at the 50, and suddenly, he's at the 40, the 30, and he keeps rolling.''
The Broncos (6-2) hope Nix can build off this performance and be a preview of what's to come for their offense. A team that entered Sunday near the bottom of the league in plays of at least 20 yards (just 13 in its first six games) had four more Sunday, in addition to Nix's run.
Nix also connected on a 52-yard catch-and-run screen to running back RJ Harvey for a touchdown in the third and hit Mims on a 47-yard completion later in the quarter that set up another Broncos touchdown. Nix also had completions of 20 yards to Courtland Sutton and 27 to Jaylen Waddle.
Nix had two surgeries since January on his right ankle after fracturing it in a playoff win over the Buffalo Bills. He has been adamant this season that his ankle has not factored into why he has much fewer rushing attempts (just 22 carries entering Sunday) than in the previous two seasons (175).
"You believe me now?'' Nix said Sunday. "It's really nice. [Criticism] is just part of it, I guess, until people see it.''
