ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Quarterback Bo Nix isn't entering a Week 2 game against the Colts looking to live up to any external standard.
Instead, he's merely focused on playing to the level that meets his own expectations — and those are inherently high.
"It's not about the stats or it's not about perfection by the outside, but it's just, for me, a standard that I have for myself, and I know that I can be better," Nix said Wednesday.
Nix said he'll always chase an improved level of play, which means he's not necessarily worried about being perfect in a game.
"It's just about being the best that I can be," Nix said. "I know that I can be a lot better."
The second-year quarterback acknowledged coming back from a tough play is "the toughest part of our position," but he showed an ability against the Titans to rebound in several key spots. After two first-half turnovers, Nix delivered a pair of key passes on an end-of-half drive for a go-ahead score. The latter of the two passes was a perfectly delivered ball to Courtland Sutton, who hauled it in for the game's opening touchdown.
After an interception on the first drive of the second half, Nix responded by converting three consecutive third downs on the next drive to lead a go-ahead field-goal drive.
"You work really hard, you get one shot at it, and every once in a while when you miss it, it's tough because that's what you just want to think about it, you just want to fix it so bad that that's what you're thinking about," Nix said. "The real advantage, the real edge, is when guys can just go to the next play [and] move on.
"And thank goodness we have a defense that stopped them. It didn't really hurt us, so we just go to the next play, and you have to just have a short memory and pretend like it never happened. You learn from it during the week and after you watch it, but pretty much right when you make the mistake, you know not to do it again. It's good to go through that. [I'm] glad it's Week 1, not Week 21 and [I can] make these mistakes now and learn from them."
Wide receiver Courtland Sutton said both in the midst of a tough performance and a near-perfect one, there's no dramatic speeches occurring on the sideline. Instead, Sutton said the communication between himself and Nix is simple and direct.
"I love being able to look at him and say, 'Hey, we got you,'" Sutton said. "Things could be going great and we could be winning 50-0 and I'm like, 'Hey, we got you.' He is a competitor. He challenges himself to be perfect. I tell you guys all the time, that is something you love to see from your quarterback: someone who wants to be the best version of themselves because that is who they are. That is their character and competitive edge. To be able to look at him and say, 'Hey, we got you,' it's something subtle.
"It doesn't have to be this whole monologue or this whole inspirational speech. It's like a subtle, 'Hey, we got you. It's going to take all of us.' Then we keep it moving. I think he understands and he knows that, but it's not just him. It's all of us. We all need to be reminded now and again that the weight of the world is not on your shoulders, it is on all of us. We as a team go out there and perform to achieve a victory."
After reviewing the film, Head Coach Sean Payton also indicated his ability to help Nix in Week 2 and beyond.
"I don't know how many games I've called, but that's one of them where I came away from it like, 'I have to be a lot better,'" Payton said.
The Broncos will have the ability to take a step forward as an offense in Week 2 against the Colts, as Denver aims to earn its first 2-0 start since 2021. Payton emphasized the importance of winning the turnover battle to secure a win, as teams were 1-8 in Week 1 if they lost the turnover battle. The Broncos were the lone exception, but Payton indicated consistently traveling that path was unsustainable.
"You can't live that way," Payton said. "It's tough."
Against a Lou Anarumo-led Colts defense that forced three turnovers and allowed just eight points in Week 1, the challenge may be difficult. But Nix, Sutton and Co. know what's required.
"I think if we are able to control the line of scrimmage, control the time of possession and take care of the opportunities of when we get into the red zone [with] scoring touchdowns and not just field goals," Sutton said. "That will help us as a collective be able to have a chance to come out with a victory."
