Bo Nix claps back at critics as Broncos chase Patriots for No. 1 playoff seed

In November, Denver Broncos second-year quarterback Bo Nix revealed that he had deleted his social media accounts so he could ignore what outsiders were saying about the first-place club. 

The Broncos have since improved to 10-2, but it seems like Nix knows some analysts and fans feel Denver is more of a pretender than a legitimate championship contender ahead of Christmas. 

Bo Nix, Broncos trying to ignore "negative" takes

"The worst thing you can do is let other people tear down a 10-2 record, whether it’s saying, 'You don’t play anybody,' or, 'You’re just relying on defense,'" Nix recently explained, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "Whatever negative somebody’s going to put on a positive, it’s always going to happen. We don’t really worry about it. We’re just excited. We know we’ve come a long way." 

According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Broncos played the third-easiest schedule in the AFC as it pertains to the winning percentages of opponents from Week 1 through Week 13. Meanwhile, ESPN stats show that Denver ranks fifth in the league in total defense (286.4 yards allowed per game). To compare, the Broncos rank 12th in total offense (340.8 yards gained per game). 

According to Pro Football Reference, Nix ended Week 13 ranked 20th in the NFL among qualified players with a 54.0 adjusted QBR and tied for 27th with an 85.8 passer rating. He likely won't earn any MVP votes once the regular season wraps up, but that seems to mean little to him in early December. 

Bo Nix not letting critics keep him from enjoying the ride

"Everybody can talk about a 10-2 record and make excuses of why we have it, but you still have to win games," Nix added. "You’re still playing NFL teams who pay their players just as much as we’re paid. I think it’s important to not lose track of that. It’s a good perspective to have that no matter what’s going on, you’ve worked hard, and you’ve gotten yourself to a 10-2 record. We believe we could’ve been even better. It’s all about moving forward. It’s the next mentality, next game." 

The Broncos trail only the 11-2 New England Patriots in the race for the AFC's No. 1 postseason seed. Denver next plays at the Las Vegas Raiders (2-10) on Sunday. As of Thursday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Broncos as 7.5-point favorites for that showdown.