The Broncos’ defense has carried the team. Now QB Bo Nix wants to shoulder the load vs. Cardinals

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Denver’s ball-hawking defense has made it one of the better NFL teams so far this season.

Now the Broncos hope quarterback Bo Nix and the rest of the offense will start producing so they can truly become one of the league’s elite.

The Broncos (4-2) travel to face the Arizona Cardinals (2-4) on Sunday with questions about their offense, particularly Nix, who has underwhelmed in his third season as the team’s quarterback. The 26-year-old has thrown for 1,049 yards and six touchdowns while completing 60.3% of his passes — which are all on track to be career lows.

Broncos coach Sean Payton put some of Nix’s problems on himself, saying he has to provide a better gameplan and leadership as each game unfolds.

“I think he’s seen a lot,” Payton said of Nix. “I shared this with you guys, and I’ll say it again: I have to be better just relative to in the course of the game. Each game takes on a different feel or style, if you will. Collectively, I think his play will be a byproduct of all of us doing our jobs better.”

Nix threw for just 107 yards in last week’s 17-14 overtime win against the Seahawks. The quarterback appreciated Payton shouldering some of the blame, but added that he has to do his part as well.

“He’s been a really good leader right now,” Nix said. “We need that. I think it goes back to us. I have to play better. We have to play better. The offense has to play better. He’s going to take his (blame) and that’s what great leaders do. I feel like I can overcome some of the stuff that is putting us in a bad spot, and I feel like I can play better.”

The Cardinals snapped a four-game losing streak last week with a surprising 18-16 road win over the Los Angeles Rams. Arizona’s defense was aggressive in its best performance of the season and Chad Ryland kicked six field goals, including the 43-yard game winner as time expired.

Arizona is trying to snap a nine-game home losing streak that’s lasted more than a calendar year.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett said it was good to get back in the win column against the Rams, but referenced one of first-year coach Mike LaFleur’s favorite sayings: “Humility is a week away.”

“He said that after the game and I think that applies so much because the Broncos don’t care what we did last week and we don’t either,” Brissett said. “It’s finding a way to go 1-0 this week.”

Need to know

Denver (4-2) at Arizona (2-4).

When/where to watch: Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT, CBS

Latest odds: Broncos by 4 1/2.

Against the spread: Broncos 4-2; Cardinals 3-3.

Last week: Broncos beat Seahawks 17-14 in OT; Cardinals beat Rams 18-16

Last meeting: Broncos beat Cardinals 24-15 on Dec. 18, 2022, in Denver.

Series record: Broncos lead 10-1-1

Matchup to watch

Broncos DL Zach Allen vs. the Cardinals’ offensive line: Allen’s having another great season, following up on last year’s All-Pro selection with 4 1/2 sacks through six games this year. He played the first four years of his career with the Cardinals after being selected in the third round out of Boston College in 2019 and left the desert in free agency after the 2022 season. Allen will go against a reworked Cardinals offensive line, who have rookie Jayden Williams starting at left tackle after starter Paris Johnson Jr. was lost for the season because of a torn left biceps suffered three weeks ago.

Stats and stuff

— Former Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald — who recently entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame — will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at halftime on Sunday and his No. 11 jersey will be retired.

— Ryland accounted for all 18 points after connecting on all six of his field goal attempts in last week’s win over the Rams. The six field goals and 18 total points are both career highs.

— The Cardinals have lost nine straight games at State Farm Stadium, which is their longest home skid since the team moved to Arizona in 1988. Both of Arizona’s wins this season have come at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, after wins over the Chargers and Rams.

— The Cardinals’ offensive line allowed zero sacks against the Rams last weekend.

— The Broncos are coming off a five-sack performance against Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold, whom they hit another 17 times. In all, a dozen different Broncos hit the quarterback. And now they get Jonathon Cooper back from the commissioner’s exempt list, which should funnel more quarterbacks toward Nik Bonitto.

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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Denver contributed to this story.

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