ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos are experiencing a remarkable turnaround, largely fueled by the developing chemistry between rookie quarterback Bo Nix and seasoned wide receiver Courtland Sutton.
Whenever a critical catch or a pivotal play is required, Sutton has consistently stepped up, exemplified by his performance on Sunday, where he caught eight out of ten passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns. His efforts were instrumental in leading the Broncos to a 29-19 comeback victory against Las Vegas.
“Courtland was outstanding,” remarked head coach Sean Payton, acknowledging Sutton’s pivotal role once again.
“He’s incredibly dependable,” Nix noted. “He’s always there when you need him.”
Sutton, who stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 216 pounds, offers the ideal combination of size and experience, being in his seventh season in the NFL. This positions him as a reliable option for Nix, whose self-assurance continues to grow each week.
“He’s intelligent and resourceful,” Nix added. “He’s capable of making plays when the ball is thrown his way. You can trust him; when the ball is in the air, it’s his or it’s nobody’s. An interception isn’t going to happen.”
The first touchdown connection between Nix and Sutton was an 18-yard throw, which allowed Nix to surpass Marlin Briscoe’s long-standing rookie record for touchdown passes in Denver. The duo teamed up again with five and a half minutes remaining in the game, establishing a two-score lead.
After trailing 13-9 at halftime, Nix expressed the team’s determination to involve Sutton more in the second half, especially since Sutton had caught just one pass for 17 yards prior.
“We didn’t target him much initially,” Nix stated. “We agreed that this half would be Courtland’s. We took command of the match, leading to two touchdowns from him, which really highlights his importance to our squad.”
Sutton has been on a remarkable performance streak after being overlooked in a 33-10 victory against New Orleans on October 17. Coach Payton even commented on how unusual that game was, given that there were numerous plays set for Sutton that didn’t execute as planned.
In the six games leading up to that silent outing, Sutton achieved 21 receptions on 49 attempts, totaling 277 yards and a touchdown. Since then, he has quickly demonstrated his skills, hauling in 36 of the 48 passes aimed at him for 467 yards and three touchdowns. Notably, he also executed a touchdown pass to Nix during a “Philly Special” play at Baltimore in Week 9.
“I believe we’re only beginning to realize our potential,” Sutton responded.
Thanks to the forging bond between Nix and Sutton, the Broncos are now eyeing the seventh playoff spot as December approaches.
Current successes within the team are primarily due to the effectiveness of the Nix-Sutton combination in the passing game.
However, the running game has faced challenges, with Javonte Williams managing only two yards on eight carries, while Audric Estime rushed three times for 15 yards against the Raiders’ heavily stacked defenses and relentless blitzes. Jaleel McLaughlin proved to be a bright spot with seven carries totaling 44 yards.
On the rise is outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who has achieved 10 sacks, marking him as the first Denver defender to reach double-digit sacks since Von Miller back in 2018.
On the downside, the Broncos’ special teams continue to struggle, save for Kicker Wil Lutz, who has been accurate on all field goal and extra point attempts since his unit collapsed against Kansas City three weeks prior, leading to a blocked kick in the closing moments of that game. On Sunday, the Raiders capitalized on a successful fake punt and a 59-yard kickoff return.
Regarding injuries, Coach Payton remained tight-lipped about the conditions of defensive end Zach Allen (heel) and cornerback Riley Moss (knee), indicating that he doesn’t view either as serious concerns.
A notable statistic is that the Broncos currently hold a two-game advantage above .500 for the first time since the 2021 season’s opening stretch.
Next, the Broncos will host Cleveland (3-8) in a matchup occurring on Monday night, just before their bye week.