The opening week of the NFL regular season was one that rookie quarterback Bo Nix would likely like to forget, with the former Oregon Ducks star throwing for 138 yards and posting the 23rd-best QBR (31.3) in the league in a 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Now, Nix and the Broncos head home to Mile High to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the team’s home opener on Sunday, hoping to turn the tide on the season before it gets out of hand in Denver.
Ahead of Denver’s Week 2 clash against the Steelers, you can check out the latest odds on the clash here, with BetColorado.com breaking down the latest QB news out of Denver.
Nix has a long way to go before becoming the darling of Broncos fans on Colorado sportsbooks.
Final Broncos Starting QB Week 2 Odds
Quarterback | Odds | Percent Chance |
Bo Nix | -10000 | 99.9% |
Jarrett Stidham | +10000 | 0.1% |
Zach Wilson | - | 0.0% |
The Field | - | 0.0% |
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Nix earned the starting gig in Denver after a preseason where he threw for 205 yards on 23/30 passing with two touchdowns and zero interceptions, posting a QB rating of 116.7 and earning Payton’s trust under center.
The rookie out of Oregon beat out two veteran quarterbacks, in fellow Auburn expat Jarrett Stidham and former New York Jets and BYU QB Zach Wilson to earn the starting gig in Denver, speaking to the 24-year-old’s performance in the preseason.
Nix became the first rookie to start at quarterback for the Broncos since Hall of Famer John Elway did so in 1983, putting his growth during the offseason in perspective for football fans along the Front Range.
Payton said as much to reporters about his decision to name Nix as the team’s starter on Wednesday, saying the 12th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had done more than enough to win the job in a QB room full of veteran talent.
"Bo Nix is going to be our starting quarterback," Payton told reporters. "I felt like—and I said this to you guys two weeks ago—that [quarterback] room has been outstanding. ... He's been outstanding. Obviously, there's a ton of room for growth; there's a lot of things that he needs to work on."
While that talent wasn’t really on full display in Week 1, Nix and the Broncos have a shot at a second first impression, this one being in front of the friendly patrons of Mile High Stadium, with Denver listed as a three-point home underdog on Bet365 Colorado in Week 2 of the NFL regular season.
USA Today photo by Ron Chenoy.
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Bo Nix is still favored to start Week 2 despite his lackluster Week 1 performance.
