Since the Denver Broncos' 17-14 overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks, the noise surrounding Bo Nix has reached a fever pitch.
Whether it's at the local or national level, the Nix pile-on has reached epic proportions. Since returning from his ankle injury, he hasn't looked the same, but his last three games, in particular, have people around the NFL genuinely concerned. That includes many Broncos fans.
Outside the building, the noise has been deafening. Inside, it's a different story, according to Pro Bowl wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who took to the podium on Wednesday ahead of the Broncos' Week 7 road game against the Arizona Cardinals.
"Man, there's a sign that's in the building, and I may word it wrong, but I think it's like 'one of the things that can keep a team from being successful is outside noise,'" Sutton said on Wednesday. "For us, the most important thing is this team—everyone that's inside this building. We all know because we're here every day."
Don't Forget: the Broncos Are 4-2
Sutton believes that people are entitled to their opinions. And folks are certainly exercising their freedom of speech when it comes to Nix and the Broncos' offense.
Even the nature of the questions Sutton fielded on Wednesday belied the reality of the Broncos sitting at 4-2. You could see that he was a little mystified by the lack of focus on that fact and how the Broncos weathered their initial six-game gauntlet.
"I mean, I'm sure y'all have heard it, and it's not to be taken lightly from the questions you're asking me, but we are 4-2 in this situation," Sutton said.
So, yes. Let's keep things in perspective. The Broncos are 4-2. Nix is 18-3 in his last 21 regular-season starts.
ALL the Way
Denver's record has done little to assuage the growing concern over Nix's play, mainly because it contrasts so sharply with the caliber of quarterbacking he showed in his first two years in the league. That's the outside perspective, though; inside the building, Sutton and his teammates see the same all-in preparation and work that Nix has always put in.
"There's not one person, if you ask anybody that's in that building that comes and watches us practice, there's not one person that can say that Bo Nix doesn't come out to practice and give us everything that he has to help us be successful, whether it's in the film room preparing, understanding the game plan, and coming out to practice," Sutton said. "People can say what they want to say. We know that he's putting his all into being the best version of himself so that we can have success."
And that success has been there. That's one of the reasons Sean Payton immediately shot down a question on Monday about whether he's considered benching Nix.
"To answer your question, no," Payton said.
The 'Tide's Going to Turn'
Like Payton and the Broncos' shot-callers, Sutton remains fully of the belief that the worm is going to turn for Nix, and he'll be off and running like the player we saw last year who led this team to a 14-3 finish and the AFC West crown.
"Like I said earlier, at some point the tide's going to turn," Sutton said. "Everyone's entitled to their opinion, and good for them. But we know that he's working his butt off for us to be able to have success, and at some point the tide's going to turn, and everyone's going to be, 'Oh man, Bo Nix is the best. Bo Nix this, Bo Nix that.' And it's like, 'No, keep that same energy.'"
Sutton and his teammates look forward to that moment with relish. He's not panicking, despite being on pace for a career-low season, and we know Nix isn't either.
Nix has maintained his cool throughout this process, even as questions about his health have intensified over the past three weeks. On Wednesday, he may have seemed a bit exasperated to answer the same question about his ankle for the 100th time, but that's the closest I've seen him come to showing any kind of frustration.
"I've told y'all several times I'm all the way back," Nix said toward the end of his presser.
Nix did acknowledge the mental aspect of recovering from a serious injury, but he was adamant, once again, that his ankle is fully healed. However, that doesn't mean that his psyche has caught up quite yet; that much is clear.
The Takeaway
The Broncos genuinely believe in Nix — that includes the coaches and the players. He faced a brutal opening schedule — the toughest in the NFL — but things are about to open up.
The Broncos' remaining schedule is the fourth-easiest in the NFL. There are a few toughies along the way, like the Kansas City Chiefs at home in Week 8 and the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 12.
Week 9's road game against the Carolina Panthers could end up being a tougher matchup than it appeared to be when the schedule first dropped back in May. But compared to the weekly onslaught Denver faced to open the season, it's a piece of cake.
The resistance training Nix and the Broncos underwent over the first six weeks has built up some serious strength, both physical and mental. This team's callus is thick, and that's bad news for the opponents remaining on the schedule.
Nix talked Wednesday about his goal to be peaking at the right time — December, January, and February — which is another reason he and the Broncos aren't freaking out like the media and fans are. The Broncos understand how hard it is to win in this league, and they appreciate each one, regardless of the style points.
Despite his foibles in recovering from his ankle, Nix has led the Broncos to a 4-2 start. That can't get lost amid the Nix pile-on.
He's always been more of a finisher. If what Sutton said is any indication, the best of Nix is yet to come.
Add us as a preferred source on Google