By Nick Kosmider, Joe Person and Jelani Scott
Rookie quarterback Bo Nix turned in a career day in Week 8 to help the Denver Broncos roll past the Carolina Panthers 28-14 on Sunday en route to their second consecutive win and coach Sean Payton’s 18th victory over his former NFC South rival.
Nix produced the bulk of his damage in a masterful first-half showing, dicing up the Panthers secondary for 220 passing yards and two touchdowns on 21-of-27 completions while also handling three carries for 3 yards and a 1-yard TD. Nix went on to ride that momentum with an efficient second half to finish the game 28-of-37 passing for a career-high 284 yards and four total TDs (two of which went to tight ends).
With Nix and his offense taking care of business, the Broncos’ top-three defense submitted another standout performance led by a returning Pat Surtain II (concussion) and his two interceptions. Denver held Carolina to 69 rushing yards and made life difficult for Bryce Young (227 yards, two TDs, two sacks) in his first start since Week 2 with Andy Dalton (thumb) inactive.
Nix makes strides while setting Broncos rookie record
Nix on Sunday became the first rookie quarterback in Broncos franchise history to win five games, an achievement he unlocked in just his eighth NFL start. He surpassed the previous mark of four wins by John Elway in 1983 (10 starts) and Drew Lock in 2019 (five). More encouraging than a win against the lifeless Panthers was the rhythm Nix found in the passing game. The first-round pick threw a career-best three touchdowns and added another score rushing, his fourth of the season. His 284 passing yards were his most of the season.
The Broncos went 4-for-5 in the red zone and had their best third-down performance of the season, converting nine of their first 10 attempts. Nix’s steady hand played a major role. Sunday marked the fifth game this season in which he didn’t throw an interception, and he’s thrown only one overall since Week 3.
Nix completed 15 of his first 17 passes and involved his tight ends more than he had at any point this season. Adam Trautman had four catches for a career-high 85 yards and a touchdown and Nate Adkins also had a touchdown catch. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton had his first 100-yard receiving game since 2022 and also completed a 28-yard pass to fullback Michael Burton on a trick play in the fourth quarter.
Nix and Denver’s offense has far tougher tests coming, beginning with next week’s road game at Baltimore and a matchup with the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium to follow. But they took care of business in an efficient way Sunday, an encouraging sign for a still-developing offense. — Nick Kosmider, Broncos beat writer
Surtain picks up where he left off
Surtain II had two interceptions, including one he returned 100 yards for a touchdown, against the Raiders in Week 5. Then on the first defensive play of the next game against the Chargers, Surtain suffered a concussion that knocked him out of that contest and also kept him off the field during Denver’s Week 7 rout of the New Orleans Saints. Surtain didn’t miss a beat while making his return Sunday.
In the first half, he made a tackle for a loss in space to ruin a fourth-down attempt by the Panthers. On another fourth-down attempt late in the third quarter as the Panthers drove into Denver territory for only the second time in the game, Surtain intercepted Bryce Young, making Carolina 0-of-3 on fourth down at that point. It was the third interception of the season for Surtain, who is a bona fide candidate for the league’s defensive player of the year as the season nears its midpoint.
The Broncos dominated defensively outside of Carolina’s first possession. Nik Bonitto sacked Young in the fourth quarter, giving the outside linebacker a full sack in six straight games. It’s the third-longest sack streak in franchise history and the longest since Von Miller had six straight games with a sack in 2018. — Kosmider
Not much of a QB controversy in Carolina
Dave Canales had a great first-series script for Young, who completed 5-of-5 passes for 39 yards and the first opening-drive touchdown of his career. But Young didn’t do much after that, throwing a pair of second-half interceptions and not looking much like a franchise quarterback.
Last year’s No. 1 pick had his moments, but it appeared Canales didn’t trust him to throw downfield. If Dalton’s thumb is better and Canales sticks with his “Dalton-gives-us-the-best-chance-to-win” mantra, then expect Dalton to start next week against New Orleans. — Joe Person, Panthers senior writer
Panthers defense flops once again
A week after making Marcus Mariota look like a Hall of Fame quarterback, the Panthers’ defense was on the wrong end of the Bo Nix Show. The rookie from Oregon took advantage of big holes in the Carolina secondary, throwing for a career-high 284 yards and accounting for four touchdowns. Payton seemed to delight in pulling out all the stops against former Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, calling a fake field goal (unsuccessful) and a double pass (for a big gain) while leading by three touchdowns in the fourth quarter — Person
Required reading
- Broncos mailbag: Bo Nix’s next step, Vance Joseph’s future, trade deadline, more
- From one No. 1 pick to another, Jadeveon Clowney advises Bryce Young: 5 things
- NFL playoff projections 2024: The Athletic’s model predicts the field
- NFL Week 8 scores and live updates: News, inactives, predictions, odds, schedule, channels
(Photo: Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)
