The Denver Broncos defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 20-13 in Week 17 on a Christmas edition of “Thursday Night Football.” But quarterback Bo Nix totaled just 182 yards on 38 attempts (26 completions). While the completion percentage was 68.4%, the yards per attempt were 4.8. Nix explained the odd game to the media, saying, “We just did what we had to do.”
Bo Nix Explaining Odd Passing Day
Nix continued. “Well, honestly, it’s the exact opposite of what I thought we were gonna get. I thought they were gonna pressure us like crazy. But you’re right, we got a bunch of two-high zone the whole game and they put a lid on top of (the offense) and they make it tough to find explosive plays. So, you just gotta inch your way down the field. And I think, obviously, the plays we scored on, they were longer drives — lot of plays. We just did what we had to do.”
Two-high zone is when the defense has both safeties playing center field on the third level of the defense. And instead of one-on-one matchups on the boundary, the cornerbacks and linebackers are inducing short area, middle-of-the-field throws. In other words, the defense is keeping everything in front of it. Offenses have no choice but to dink and dunk. It typically leads to long drives, and that’s exactly what happened in Week 17.
The Nix-led offense totaled 14 plays and 56 yards on the first drive of the game, which ended in a field goal. Then, in the second quarter, the Broncos’ offense completed a 16-play drive that covered 79 yards — culminating in another field goal. And in the second half, the Broncos’ offense totaled two more 14-play drives of 72 yards and 65 yards, respectively. The fourth 14-plus-play drive ended with the Broncos taking the lead 20-13.
So, Nix took what the defense gave him in Week 17. It led to 182 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. But more importantly, the Broncos got the win — and Nix engineered his seventh game-winning drive of the season. The Broncos will look to carry the momentum into Week 18 vs. the Los Angeles Chargers.
Elsewhere, the Broncos’ defense got back on track in Week 17 as well.