Heading into their first game off the bye week, the AFC West-leading Broncos sit in as good of playoff position as any team across the NFL. Their 9-2 record speaks for itself, and that is without mentioning their growing number of wins within the conference and against current playoff teams. Ultimately, the Broncos are having a season of their dreams.
Even with all of their success, there has been a solid amount of offensive worry. Veterans such as Evan Engram and Courtland Sutton haven't exactly lived up to their abilities over the past month or so, leaving a void in the Broncos' offensive unit. To the blame of mostly no one except Sean Payton, the offensive struggles have been very visible through Denver's most recent stretch.
Through their struggles, two specific Broncos offensive players have picked up the pace. For the Broncos, these two have done an incredible amount of work to try and keep the Denver offense on pace and from costing the team any games. If these two young Broncos can turn in another strong performance on Sunday night in Washington, they could be setting themselves up to become even important pieces of the Broncos' future.
Bo Nix and Pat Bryant II have the most to gain in Week 13 against the Commanders
Bo Nix and Pat Bryant have begun to show the signs of a great pairing in Denver, and it is a remarkable development. Bryant, a third-round selection out of Illinois, has been rewarded for his great blocking with an uptick in offensive opportunities that he has taken full advantage of. This was most obvious in Denver's win over the Chiefs, in which Bryant hauled in 82 yards.
Bryant only has 231 receiving yards on the season, but they have been steadily increasing over the course of the season. He has 185 over his last four games, showing a great connection with Nix. As for Nix, this is a bit of a complicated angle. His abilities are clear, but as the recent developments around Kyler Murray and Bryce Young have shown, the long-term answer at quarterback in the NFL is rarely concrete.
Nix played great in Week 11 against the Chiefs, but he desperately needs a strong end to the season. His overall numbers haven't been the prettiest, but the Broncos will take games such as the most recent from Nix, 300 yards without any interceptions. With a strong end to the season, Nix will make a second-straight playoff appearance and cement his status as QB1 in Denver for the foreseeable future. For Nix, that road starts this Sunday night in the nation's capital.