Facing a 2nd-and-7 in the second quarter of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw a 33-yard strike to wide receiver Devaughn Vele to pick up a first down.
Nix threw over a linebacker and inside a safety to deliver a perfectly-placed ball for Vele. The All-22 film became available on Monday and the behind the end zone angle is absolutely beautiful:
https://t.co/Z9YF6NPkuN pic.twitter.com/E0aZ5WK9Jp
— Zach Segars (@Zach_Segars) November 18, 2024
“We got some shell and some two-deep safety looks today which opens up the middle of the field,” Nix said after the game when asked about throwing over the middle of the field. “I feel like we have been confident with those throws all year long. Today we got through the progressions and got to some of them. Two off the top of my head was Vele over the middle between the safeties. I thought that was extremely courageous to go through there knowing you can possibly be hit.”
This is presumably one of the Vele catches that Nix referenced:
On 2nd and 15 Denver shows their swing screen look with Mims in the backfield, Bo uses his eyes to manipulate the linebacker before firing in the free access slant to Vele who was fantastic in this one. pic.twitter.com/glx6NyriBC
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) November 18, 2024
Courtland Sutton (seven receptions for 78 yards) and Vele (four receptions for 66 yards) were Nix’s favorite targets on Sunday.
“Those two are just typical of what you get from them every day,” Nix said. “They are always battling to find ways to get open. They do not care if they are going to take a hit. They are willing to go through there for the betterment of the team. Football is a tough game played by tough people. We know that we are going to have to continue to do that kind of stuff in all spaces of the field to have success. Sometimes you have to take what they give you and they were giving us some over the middle shots today.”
Here are a few more angles of Nix’s two impressive passes to Vele:
Okay, Bo Nix. I guess we’re ripping tight-window throws on time at this level now. (The second throw made me laugh when I saw the end zone angle). pic.twitter.com/voEGgTnupz
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) November 18, 2024
Broncos coach Sean Payton praised Nix’s impressive pass during his Monday conference call with reporters.
“There’s never been — on his part — a lack of confidence, relative to his location,” Payton said. “He’s extremely accurate, but the windows are just quicker [and] faster in our league. They’re open for a shorter period of time. I think that’s one example of many, but one example where, ‘Does he make that throw Week 1 or Week 2?’ I don’t know, but certainly we’re all getting a chance to see growth as it plays out week by week.”
Nix finished the game 28-of-33 passing (84.8%) for 307 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He has made huge strides from earlier this season and continues to make a case for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
