Insane Bo Nix Stat from MNF Illustrates PFF's Incoherent Grading System

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix made the Cincinnati Bengals pay for blitzing. Yet, Pro Football Focus still has Nix ranked among the worst NFL quarterbacks.

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) makes a pass during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Pro Football Focus' incoherent grading system was highlighted yet again by the analytics giant's X post following the Denver Broncos' 28-3 demolition of the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix passed for a career-high 326 yards, going 29-of-42 (69%), with two touchdown passes and a rushing score.

Monday morning, PFF couldn't help but praise Nix's performance vs. the Bengals, especially against the blitz, illustrating how good he was in Week 4. And yet, wouldn't you know it? Nix still ranks No. 34 among NFL quarterbacks based on PFF's grading system.

Bo Nix vs the Bengals blitz

🔸 12/16
🔸 153 passing yards
🔸 1 TD
🔸 11 first downs pic.twitter.com/Rq8LHNfMHj

— PFF (@PFF) September 30, 2025

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Nix arguably made some of the best throws of his career and completed 75% of his 16 passes when blitzed on Monday night, passing for 153 of his total yards and a touchdown. As PFF notes, he generated 11 first downs throwing against the blitz.

Now, these blitz numbers are in no way opinion-based. They're not grades, but rather basic metrics measured in Nix's performance, no different than box-score stats like completions and yardage. They're advanced metrics; observational and grounded in reality.

The question is, how could PFF still have Nix ranked 34th among all NFL quarterbacks at the quarter pole of the season? It's possible that Nix's grade hasn't been updated yet, but PFF claims it has Monday night grades ready by noon EST on Tuesday.

We're well past that deadline. Once again, PFF's grades look arbitrary and meaningless in the face of contrary evidence anyone can observe.

Imperfect but Impressive

Sep 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) prepares to take a snap during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Now, did Nix play perfectly? No. He had a very uncharacteristic red-zone interception, of the sort we haven't seen since Week 2 of his rookie season.

The only saving grace was that the pick was thrown on fourth down. The play didn't work out, Nix bailed the pocket, and tried to fit the ball into a very tight window.

Instead of starting inside their own two-yard line, which is what would have happened had Nix just thrown it away, the Bengals received a touchback, starting on their 20-yard line. The red-zone turnover, fortunately, had zero effect on the outcome of the game.

Nix's Outlook

Through four games, Nix has completed 65.7% of his passes for 861 yards and seven touchdowns, with four interceptions, good for a quarterback rating of 87.9. He's also rushed for 78 yards and another score on 25 attempts.

The Broncos sit at 2-2 entering Week 5, just like last year. Next up, Nix will face one of the stiffest tests of his NFL career in the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles and Vic Fangio's defense. Fangio's scheme confounds quarterbacks, and it can be devastating if his defense is allowed to generate pressure by rushing four.

Let's hope Sean Payton has Nix prepared and geared up for this game on the East Coast against the defensive coordinator he may have originally wanted to hire when he took the Broncos' head-coaching gig in January of 2023. Considering that Fangio had been fired as Broncos head coach just one year earlier, the defensive czar declined the opportunity to return to Denver.

Payton hired another former Broncos head coach instead: Vance Joseph. So far, so good. Meanwhile, after a one-year stint with the Miami Dolphins, Fangio went on to get his first Super Bowl ring with the Eagles.

Payton and Nix had better come correct, because Fangio will have his fangs out, looking to get a little revenge on the Broncos.