One Bo Nix Question Looms Large Over Broncos’ Early Schedule

By now, everyone has seen the first six weeks of the Denver Broncos' schedule and realized how unforgiving it is. The Broncos face the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Chargers, and Seattle Seahawks in the first six weeks.

We're talking about the Broncos' two toughest divisional opponents, the top two teams in the NFL from 2025, and a team that went into Denver and upset them last year.

Not only is it a tough schedule, but the Broncos also have concerns about Bo Nix's recovery from his ankle injury. While he is expected to be a full-go by training camp, there may still be lingering issues that could carry over into the season.

You can’t underestimate the importance of OTAs and minicamp for a younger player, and this is only Year 3 for Nix. It's especially true with a new play-caller, even if Davis Webb has been with the team for a few years now.

Webb is going to face his own acid test as a first-time play-caller going against this slate of opponents. But let's get to the elephant in the room.

Nix Has Been a Slow Starter

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) passes against the Seattle Seahawks during the first quarter at Lumen Field. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The bigger concern with Nix isn’t directly related to his ankle, although the injury could intensify it this year. In his two seasons in the NFL, he has started each one out slowly, especially in the first four weeks, and has typically hit his groove by Weeks 8-10.

A slow starter, but a furious finisher. Nix needs to be a furious starter and finisher this time around.

Over the last two seasons, in the first four games (eight games total), Nix has thrown eight touchdowns to eight interceptions. Basically, one-third of his career interceptions have come in the first four games each year.

The touchdown mark through Nix's first four games (eight total) amounts to essentially 1/7th of his career passing scores. There is more to his early-season struggles, but the 1-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio really highlights them.

When it comes to the Broncos' first six opponents, we're talking about some tough defenses that run the type of schemes that Nix has struggled against over his two-year career. Now, Nix is 4-6 against those teams, but hasn’t played the Rams or 49ers.

Three of Nix's four wins have come against the Chiefs, with the fourth against the Chargers (without Justin Herbert). Nix has not beaten the Seahawks, whom he faced in his very first NFL game, and he lost to the Jaguars last year.

Of those four wins, two came against teams resting their starters: the Chiefs at the end of 2024 and the Chargers at the end of 2025. Nix has beaten the Chiefs at full strength twice, with Patrick Mahomes in the lineup, but he's yet to do that against Herbert and the Chargers.

Early in the season, the Broncos will face the full strength of each opponent, barring injuries. That puts more pressure on Nix to hit the ground running and not start slow, as we have seen over the past two years.

Some folks can choose to bury their heads in the sand and avoid this difficult Nix subject, but there is no way around it. Nix has to start stronger this year or else the Broncos could take a step back.

Bottom Line

The good news is that Nix has established himself as the Broncos' franchise quarterback. However, he still has plenty of room to grow and improve, and this is one of the key areas.

There is plenty of reason to have faith in Nix to start hot, even with the few changes to the Broncos' offense. It's also worth remembering: it isn’t how you start; it's how you finish.

In each of his first two years in Denver, Nix started 1-2, but in both campaigns, he led the Broncos to double-digit wins and a playoff berth. Now imagine what it would look like with a stronger start.

With this first-place schedule, that's exactly what the Broncos need from Bo Chapman Nix.

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