Broncos Struggle 1-2 Start Amid Payton Criticism of Bo Nix Performance

The Denver Broncos are struggling in the 2025 season, with quarterback Bo Nix underperforming compared to expectations set after his promising rookie year. Despite having a strong defense, the Broncos' offense has been plagued by inconsistency, penalties, poor third-down conversions, and Nix's turnovers, leading to a 1-2 start and back-to-back losses. Head coach Sean Payton has publicly criticized the offense's inefficiency and Nix's inconsistent play while downplaying concerns over Nix's deep ball misses, emphasizing the need to correct penalties and negative plays instead. Nix has missed several key deep throws that could have changed game outcomes, but Payton encourages him to keep attempting these passes, noting that some incompletions were due to the difficulty of the routes rather than poor accuracy. The Broncos' inability to close games in the fourth quarter and their offensive struggles threaten their chances to capitalize on an open AFC West and contend for a playoff spot this season.