Bo Nix is the first rookie quarterback in Denver Broncos history to win three straight games.
But, to think Nix is mostly responsible for those wins would be akin to think your grocery cart did your shopping for you. You had to load the items in the cart, pay for them at checkout, and prepare the food purchased before value was realized.
The reason the Broncos won three straight games was a lot more reliant on the Broncos defense than Nix at quarterback. What one could credit the Broncos rookie signal caller with is that he didn’t mess up the results during consecutive wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders.
Tonight, after suffering a home loss last Sunday to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Broncos are in New Orleans to meet the Saints at the Superdome. The Saints also have a rookie directing their offense, but unlike the Broncos, New Orleans has been forced to turn to Spencer Rattler in the wake of an injury to starter Derek Carr.
The Saints came out of the gate to the 2024 season the early leader, beating their first two opponents, the Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys, by a combined score of 91 to 29. Problem is that the quick start did not blend into solid succeeding performances. The Saints host the Broncos tonight while riding a four-game losing streak.
The woes for the Saints began in the fourth quarter of a third week game at home against the Philadelphia Eagles. For three quarters the Saints defense held the visiting Eagles off the scoreboard, then allowed 15 four quarter points enroute to a three-point loss. The next week, against NFC South Division opponent the Atlanta Falcons, the Saints allowed a late field goal to clip them by two points, 26-24.
Still, with wins in half their games and two competitive losses against two blowout wins, a lot of people thought New Orleans would give the Kansas City Chiefs all they could handle in a Week Five contest at Arrowhead Stadium. That is where the Saints early season luster was wiped away in a double-digit defeat that even more significantly included the loss of quarterback Carr to an injury that still has him sidelined.
Last week, at home, the Saints had an opportunity to move back to the top of their division standings with a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It didn’t go well, in Rattler’s first start the Saints defense was smoked for 51 points by the Baker Mayfield led Buccaneers offense.
Not too many rookies, or any quarterback for that matter, is going to chalk many wins when their defense is giving up half-a-hundred points.
So, the Broncos come in tonight with a record elevated primarily by their defense, but needing to play this game without their most dynamic defensive player, defensive back Patrick Surtain.
The Saints march into this contest on the heels of four straight losses and looking to regroup on the defensive side of the ball while offering their rookie quarterback no quality receivers to throw too.
What do all the factors add up to tonight?
I could like the Saints, given they got stung for 51 points last week I would suspect they would have a spirited performance against the Broncos rookie quarterback.
I could like the Broncos, given they are playing a New Orleans team dropping faster than a fallen angel.
Or I could like a few games on Sunday a lot more and skip this one.
See you Sunday.