Even though the Denver Broncos found a way to beat the hapless Los Angeles Chargers in Week 5, quarterback Bo Nix continues to struggle.
Maybe more specifically, and most concerning, Bo Nix has been playing without the one thing he almost never seems to lack, no matter what the circumstances: Confidence.
With a 3-2 record and a short week before facing off against the Seattle Seahawks at home, they need him to find it, and find it fast.
What is going on with Nix so far this season? What have we been seeing from him since that fateful injury against the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs last season? It hasn't been good, and it's definitely not sustainable.
Bo Nix needs to find his mojo quickly so the Broncos' offense can go on a run
As ugly as the Broncos' offense has been so far this season, the play of Bo Nix has been -- by far -- the most concerning element of it all.
Yes, there are dirty hands all over the place. The Broncos have struggled, especially up the middle, with pass protection. Receivers have dropped passes. Sean Payton had seen enough through the first four weeks with Davis Webb calling the plays and made the dramatic decision to take the keys to the car back for himself.
There are a lot of factors at play, but Bo Nix has looked broken.
There are mental hurdles all players need to clear anytime they are coming back from injuries, no matter if it's a major knee injury that requires surgery, a concussion, or a fractured ankle. Nix had a magical season stripped away from him last year, but did he have his mojo stripped in the process?
Through five games this season, it appears so.
Sean Payton was talking after the game about how he wants to see Nix go out there and "let it rip" and how he wants to build Nix's confidence. Those are not exactly the types of things you want the head coach to be talking about regarding a third-year starting quarterback.
Nix has been hesitant to throw the ball down the field. Part of that is how defenses are playing the Broncos, and part of it has to do with protection. But Nix also isn't trusting what he's seeing out there, and he's not firing the ball down the field. The Broncos have absolutely no downfield passing game to speak of so far this season.
It might not be as big of an issue if Nix was still running the ball as effectively as we had gotten used to seeing from him in his first two NFL seasons, but he has just 35 rushing yards in the first five games combined.
We're not seeing Nix fire the ball down the field. We're not seeing him use his legs to make plays. While Nix seems to keep his spirits high on the sidelines during the game, there is an edge that has been missing. Even though the Broncos have found ways to win three of their first five games, it feels like Nix is a ghost of who he once was.
And that is a major problem...until it isn't.
As we've seen from Nix in the past, he has started all three of his NFL seasons rather slow, and that's putting it kindly. There always seems to be a point at which he figures things out, turns things around, and starts to really let it rip.
And as much as the Broncos' offense needs balance in the running game, as much as they need operational efficiency with fewer penalties and mistakes, they need their quarterback out there making plays.
Nix, for all his faults, has been the tide to raise all boats in the harbor. Even with inconsistencies offensively since he came into the league, Nix has still helped elevate the Broncos' offense, both in clutch moments and for big performances when they were needed the most.
RIght now, it feels like the Broncos would be lucky to complete a slant pass.
They are all sorts of out of sorts, and it starts with Nix.
The silver lining and reason for optimism amidst all of it is that we have seen him play outstanding football in the past. And it's not even the distant past. The last game of the 2025-26 season for Nix was arguably his best performance as a pro, lighting up the #1-ranked Buffalo Bills pass defense and going toe-to-toe with Josh Allen in the postseason.
That Bo Nix is still in there somewhere, and the Broncos need him badly.
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