INDIANAPOLIS — Five months ago Sean Payton stood across the street from Lucas Oil Stadium and threw down the gauntlet.
The Broncos, he said confidently, would ace the Quarterback Search test.
Sunday’s preseason opener back here was just one very, very early waypoint in a long journey for Bo Nix. But over the course of a 36-snap exhibition debut, the rookie quarterback and No. 12 overall pick authored a performance that was equal parts efficient and promising.
It also served as a continuation of his training camp work: Mostly good decision-making with a few questionable moves mixed in. Smooth play overall that sometimes trends more toward methodical than explosive. The athletic ability to extend plays and generate positives with his legs.
Like training camp, Nix on Sunday left observers and teammates alike with the sense that, while he’s had some rough moments during practices and more are undoubtedly ahead, he’s got maturity and preparedness not always found in rookie quarterbacks.
“I could tell (the game) was a little bit faster,” Nix said after completing 15 of 21 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown and adding 17 rushing yards on three carries. “I felt very calm and relaxed back there. It’s just a game. The (Colts) were still in Cover 3 and quarters and man. It’s the same defense. You’ve just got to figure out which one they’re in and then execute the play that’s called.
“I thought we did a great job with the play calls today. We stayed in rhythm. We ran the ball efficiently and that’s always nice. Overall it was a very productive day.”
Nix played five series and four of them ended in points — two touchdowns and two field goals.
His first drive of the afternoon stood as a microcosm of his first NFL training camp, really. It featured 11 plays, 45 yards, a field goal and the full buffet of Life as a Rookie QB in the NFL.
The good: A 22-yard strike on the run to his left to Courtland Sutton. A well-placed ball into the corner of the end zone for Josh Reynolds. A blitz-beating first-down throw to Reynolds that showed Nix’s quick processing and release.
The bad: He put tight end Greg Dulcich in a dangerous spot with his first throw up the seam and nearly saw the pass picked off. Nix continued a troubling training camp taboo when he fumbled a snap from Luke Wattenberg at the Indy 21-yard line. Though he pounced on it, the mistake contributed to his first drive stalling out.
Another similarity to training camp: The 24-year-old is a quick study.
Nix settled in and led a touchdown drive on his next possession, finishing the drive with a crisp 1-yard timing route to Marvin Mims Jr. Then he put together maybe his most impressive set of the day when he led the Broncos on a seven-play, 75-yard march in the final 1 minute, 24 seconds of the first half to get a field goal going into halftime.
Sutton’s workday was done by that point, but the drive caught his attention nonetheless. Players — particularly veterans — might speak in generalities about Denver’s quarterback battle and praise all three of Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix, but make no mistake: They are keeping a keen eye on Nix in particular and will decide for themselves whether they think he’s ready to be the guy four weeks from now in Seattle.
“I think he handled it really well,” Sutton said. “Had a lot of poise, a lot of control. The moment wasn’t too big for him. The moments are only going to get bigger. This is the preseason, games don’t count but come Week 1, whoever they decide to put out there as our starter, they’re going to have to handle that situation the best they possibly can.
“I think in that moment (Nix) handled it really well and I’m looking forward to seeing how he handles future moments.”
Payton initially had positive things to say about all three of his quarterbacks after his first chance to see them this year in an actual game environment.
“It’s probably the most important part of the evaluation — these games and then the scrimmages,” Payton said. “There’s certain settings where you get even a little more information on. I thought all three of them handled the settings well. I think their decisions for the most part were good.”
Nix, though, now has a chance to put his claim on the starting job once and for all. The Broncos return to the practice field Wednesday and have two days of work before welcoming Green Bay in for a Friday joint practice and Sunday preseason game at Empower Field. Nix is set to start the game Sunday and undoubtedly will get a lot of work against the Packers’ top groups Friday, too.
The paths of NFL quarterbacks rarely follow straight lines. There are twists and turns ahead for Nix regardless of how the next two preseason weeks play out. For an initial impression, though, he and the Broncos couldn’t have asked for much more Sunday.
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