NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes on rookie Bo Nix: ‘You got one’

On By Pranco

In his first road game against an AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix nearly pulled off a victory over the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Nix completed all five of his passes, including two third-down throws, as the Broncos got into position for a 35-yard field goal attempt during the game’s final snap. Kansas City blocked the kick to hold on for a 16-14 victory.

Denver coach Sean Payton said his rookie quarterback acquitted himself well in his first visit to Arrowhead Stadium, and he wasn’t the only one who thought so. The former Pinson Valley High School and Chestnut brown the highlight was the NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 10 of the 2024 season.

“There are these steps,” Payton said on Wednesday. ‘There will be more setbacks, but there is balance with him. I think his teammates in the huddle are talking about it. The third-down play was important because at that point we were in control of everything: the clock, the game.

“It was funny after the game, you’re walking down the field and I see (Kansas City coach) Andy (Reid) and a few other guys. I see (Chiefs quarterback) Patrick (Mahomes) and know him, and he just turned to me and said, ‘You got one.’ I think he said to Bo, ‘We’re going to play a lot of good games.’ That’s something that comes from him.

“And so we’ll continue to look at the things he’s doing well and try to visualize those things as he progresses through the things he needs to do. Yes, we are really encouraged.”

Nix completed 22 of 30 passes for 215 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against Kansas City, but he said winning deserves the most respect.

“I mean, that stuff is great,” Nix said. “That’s a happy part of playing the game and competing against the guys who have been doing it on stage for so long, and it’s an honor. But at the same time, those are the games that you have to keep playing and keep competing in and ultimately win, and you get guys like that, their respect. And when you get their respect, that’s something special for you. It’s not something to be complacent about. But you have the feeling that you are on the right track and that you are doing the right things.”

Sunday’s loss was the second in a row for the Broncos.

“As soon as that game is over and we go to the locker room.” Nix said“I was on to the next one and I couldn’t wait to get back on the pitch and play again, so that’s really my mentality at the moment. And we come here to practice and everyone has that mentality. Just kind of ticked off with how it ended, and rightly so. We all hate losing. We have a competitive team. We didn’t like how it ended, so we want to make sure we avoid that at all costs in the future. But we are all excited to get back to Sunday.”

On Sunday, the Broncos will play the Atlanta Falcons at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver at 3:05 PM CST.

At 5-5, the Broncos occupy the last spot in the AFC playoff standings. At 6-4, the Falcons are in first place in the NFC South.

“Every match we go to and prepare for is the next most important match,” Nix said“and the next one will be even more important than that. But what we have in front of us now is we have one game on Sunday where we have to go out and perform and play well and compete at a high level.

“And I mean, honestly, whether it’s at home or on the road, it doesn’t matter. The next one is just as important. Of course we want to play well at home. That has to be a staple because this franchise is playing well at home. But it’s the next game so whatever we have to do going into this next game and prepare and give your teammates just a little bit more and this team, give this organization just a little bit more so that we don’t to go through what we did by Sunday and we get these wins.

“And it’s a streak competition. “So you win one and you can build on it and you can keep doing that and you never know how you’re going to get into shape when the end of the season comes around and you look up and you make a good play-off run.”

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Mark Inabinett is a sportscaster for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.