When Bo Nix was just a draft prospect, before the former Auburn, then Oregon, standout was taken by the Denver Broncos in April, sports talk show hosts across the nation speculated on what we’d see: Nix had been around a long time, they said. He’s already hit his ceiling, one said.
Well, maybe not.
Nix broke an old Denver passing record and helped the Broncos do something they’d never done – beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Allegiant Stadium, where they had been 0-4. Denver won Sunday’s game, 29-19.
Nix went 25-of-42 for 273 yards and two touchdowns, breaking the franchise’s single-season record for touchdowns (now 15; the old record wasn’t held by John Elway. It was, in fact, held by Marlin Briscoe, set in the 1968 season). Both of Nix’s scoring passes on Sunday went to Courtland Sutton: one for 18 yards in the third quarter and another with 5 ½ minutes left in the game, from just 2 yards out. Sutton finished with 97 yards and the scores on eight catches.
Denver had trailed, 13-9, at the half.
The other news coming out of this game isn’t good. In fact, it’s awful. Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew may have suffered a collar bone injury on a sack by Denver’s Jonathon Cooper and Cody Barton. Several reports, including the Associated Press, say Minshew likely suffered a broken collar bone, and will miss the rest of the Raiders’ season.
That was in the fourth quarter, with Las Vegas trailing, 26-19. Minshew finished the game – possibly his last action of the season – having completed 25-of-42 passes for 230 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
His replacement, Desmond Ridder, went 5-of-10 for 64 yards and a lost fumble.
Jakobi Meyers had 10 catches for 121 yards for Vegas.
The Broncos (7-5) are off this coming week, then host Cleveland in a “Monday Night Football” game on Dec. 2. The Raiders (2-9), who have lost seven straight, play at Kansas City on Friday, a 2 p.m. start on Amazon Prime Video.
