Let me start off by saying that Bo Nix isn't playing particularly good football at the moment. Certainly nothing like the Denver Broncos quarterback we all watched lead the club to what should have been a Super Bowl appearance just nine months ago.
Regarding the Broncos' slumping offense, which has surprised given this year's expectations, Nix is certainly worthy of fault. His efforts are more timid, apprehensive, and unconfident than the gunslinger of 2024 and 2025. He's supposed to be the franchise cornerstone, and has looked the farthest thing from it entering Week 6.
Speculation points back to Nix's January ankle injury and subsequent surgeries as the primary suspects, with the masses theorizing he's become physically or mentally bothered by it. But that cannot be confirmed nor denied at this juncture.
What can be confirmed is that the proverbial blame pie has many slices to go around — and many individuals deserving. The argument to revive Denver's offense does not simply start and end with Nix.
Here are some of the other things that must be fixed sooner rather than later:
The Lack of a Running Game
While veteran starter J.K. Dobbins upped his game a bit in last week's victory over the Chargers, the truth remains that Denver's offense ranks 25th in the NFL in rushing yards per game, and Dobbins himself is averaging under four yards per carry.
The Broncos are getting negligible ground contributions from RJ Harvey — their best pass-catching RB — and Tyler Badie, who's only seeing snaps due to rookie Jonah Coleman landing on injured reserve.
Coleman appeared to be the club's best true runner when he was healthy, so perhaps his potential return in Week 7 will alleviate some of the pressure from Nix, and rewire a pass-run ratio that got completely out of wack under now-former play-caller Davis Webb.
The Breakdown of the Offensive Line
So much for Denver's supposedly "elite" front-five. With the exception of left tackle Garett Bolles and right guard Quinn Meinerz, the starting offensive line has struggled to generate push at the line of scrimmage — particularly for the ground game.
Left guard Ben Powers and right tackle Mike McGlinchey are playing at replacement-level standards, and the Broncos may soon want to think about a long-term future without those aging vets. Center Luke Wattenberg is financially protected by his 2025 extension, but he's made several errant snaps and is arguably the weakest link among the OL.
The pressure is mounting on Broncos offensive line coach Chris Morgan because, as the cliché goes, successful football starts up front. And they're the antithesis of that at the moment.
The Lack of WR Consistency
If you searched hard enough, you could probably find Courtland Sutton's face on a milk carton somewhere. Yes, he scored (on a wide-open pass) against the Chargers, but it's evident the now-31-year-old receiver isn't quite separating downfield like he used to.
Beyond that, the Broncos have utterly failed to incorporate their big offseason acquisition, Jaylen Waddle, who currently has more drops (5) than games with at least 20 receiving yards (2). Twenty. Most No. 1 WRs eclipse that on a single drive. But not Denver's.
Perhaps Nix's most reliable pass-catcher, second-year man Pat Bryant, is shelved on injured reserve for another three weeks, eligible to return in Week 11 following the Broncos' bye.
Reserve WRs Marvin Mims — who's disappointed amid a contract year — and Troy Franklin have been non-factors through the air as Denver ranks 26th in yards per play and points per game, and 25th in passing yards per game.
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