Broncos Need to Add a Wrinkle to This Bo Nix Play

The Denver Broncos need to rethink this.

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) rushes the ball against the Tennessee Titans in the second half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Since the start of the 2024 season, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has made it clear that he trusts Bo Nix. One of the ways that Payton trusts Nix nearly came back to haunt the Broncos in the season-opener against the Tennessee Titans, making it clear that the coaches need to add a wrinkle to the quarterback's sneak attempts. 

Now, there is an issue with the Broncos' run game being too creative and not sticking with the simple concepts, but the sneaks are predictable, and they need to keep defenses honest, even if they only run it five times in a season. 

What made this so clear wasn’t the fact that the Broncos were 0-2 in fourth-down conversions against the Titans, with both attempts being sneaks, but how the Titans handled one of the fourth downs.

As the Broncos lined up for a fourth-down attempt, the Titans' defensive line was spread, leaving the middle wide open. The defensive linemen were lined up on the outside shoulder of the offensive guards. Nix saw this, screamed his ‘kill kill kill’ to change the play, and the Titans knew he was changing it to a sneak. 

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Hut One, Hut Two!

I’ve never seen a DT meet the QB in the backfield this quickly on a sneak

Bo Nix can’t even move forward on the sneak before T’Vondre Sweat hits him

INCREDIBLE 🤯 pic.twitter.com/xn2U0euQ1V

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 7, 2025

“Hut one, hut two” from Nix. On "hut two," the Titans closed the line, with T’Vondre Sweat and Jeffery Simmons lining up on each shoulder of the center.  The Titans had their line spread, baited Nix into a sneak call, and then squeezed their line together. Sweat blew up the play and kept Denver from picking up the first down, even after a second effort by Nix. 

That lone play made it clear that the Broncos need a wrinkle to their sneaks so they aren’t as predictable or baitable. It can be a fake sneak toss, or even a quick pass instead, but whatever it is, this game should have been an epiphany.

Last year, the Broncos had the fifth-best conversion rate on fourth down at 68.2%, and the sneaks from Nix were a big reason why. Now, it was a small sample size in Week 1, and 0-for-2 isn’t a significant margin, but the issue is how prepared the Titans were for Nix’s sneaks.

It also goes beyond fourth down, as Nix's sneak is often the called play in one-yard-to-go situations. Denver did it on third down a lot last year, and did it against the Titans as well. The quarterback sneak is a go-to play for Payton and this offense, adding to the importance of adding a wrinkle to it. 

Even as the Broncos need to keep things simple on their offense, especially in their run game, this is an area they need to add a little more nuance and creativity. The Titans were selling out to stop the Nix sneak, and a toss to a running back could’ve made the defense pay in a big way. 

Whatever the Broncos add, it doesn’t have to become the go-to or even lead to them giving up on Nix sneaks, as they are effective at converting a fresh set of downs. It simply needs to be a wrinkle called enough times to keep defenses honest and keep them from selling out to stop the sneak, or make them pay for it when they do.