Broncos HC Sean Payton Had a Priceless Reaction to Bo Nix Bulldozing a Jets Defender

At the podium post-game, Broncos head coach Sean Payton was asked whether Nix's dropping of the shoulder was perhaps reckless.

"It's a great question. I think Bo uses his instincts," Payton said. "For the most part, you saw him slide. But then there was the one play where it was 'Holy cow.' Yeah, he's got pretty good instincts, though."

Holy cow, indeed. Brownlee popped up onto his feet as a matter of pride, but he quickly exited to the Jets' sideline a bit shaken up. Nix surely doesn't ever want to hurt someone out there, but for once, it felt good to be the one laying the hit instead of receiving it.

"It was great. It happened pretty quick," Nix said post-game. "Usually in that situation, [I] try not to take a hit, but [I] got off the block, and it was kind of a bang-bang play. And I definitely don't want to be the one to get hit. I'd rather be the one doing the hitting."

A Middling Day at the Office

Nix finished the day 19-of-30 for 174 yards and a touchdown, with a rating of 90.1. However, his day at the office was a tale of two halfs.

Nix played quite well in the first half, getting the Broncos out to a confident lead. In the second half, there was a long stretch where it felt like the Broncos could do nothing right offensively.

Denver went 5-of-15 on third down (33%), illustrating the offense's frustrating performance vs. a stingy and hungry Jets defense. The biggest killer, once again, was the self-inflicted wounds.

Whether it was Troy Franklin's lost fumble on the Broncos' opening possession, or the dumbfounding play-calling that had Nix run a play-action deep-drop backed up in his own end zone, which saw right guard Quinn Meinerz flagged for holding, the team couldn't get out of its own way. Because the penalty took place in the end zone, it resulted in a safety and two points, plus a possession, for the Jets.

The Broncos were penalized six times for -37 yards on the day. Sean Payton still has a lot to clean up, but that's a lot easier to do with a 4-2 cushion than, say, 2-4.

Luckily, Nix strung together one additional scoring drive, finishing with a field goal that would give the Broncos their final two-point lead. Broncos Country is still wondering what this team could be if it would get its act together and stop shooting itself in the foot.

However, the bottom line is that the Broncos are 4-2. There are no style points in the NFL. It's a production-based league, and ugly though it was, the Broncos produced a win.

Fans lamenting the victory will forget the complexion of the game when the Broncos' schedule stiffens up and things get serious in the AFC West in December. Broncos Country will just be grateful for the win because this team still has to contend with the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers for divisional supremacy.

But, hey, at least Nix had one highlight-worthy play, unlikely though it was.