TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Bo Nix's first NFL touchdown pass is still to come. For now, he and the Denver Broncos will settle for celebrating the rookie quarterback's first pro win.
The 12th overall pick in this year's draft shrugged off a pair of losses to begin season, running for an early touchdown and eliminating costly mistakes to lead the Broncos (1-2) to a 26-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
“It felt great. We played really well,” Nix said. "We went out there and executed at a high level, and that’s what it’s supposed to feel like when you get back in the locker room. The guys were really excited. You put so much into the week. You put so much effort, time and energy, and that is what those moments are about.”
Wil Lutz kicked field goals of 43, 38, 33 and 43 yards for Denver, which was facing the the prospect of starting 0-3 for the secod straght season under coach Sean Payton.
Nix completed 25 of 36 passes for 216 yards without an interception after tossing four of them in his team's first two games.
“I say this, and I mean this, and it's so important — and I include myself and the offensive coaching staff, Payton said. "It's our job to paint a perfect picture for this player. And if we do that ... and when we do that, this guy is going to be something.”
Denver's defense did its part in support of Nix, too, sacking Baker Mayfield seven times and intercepting the Bucs quarterback once to set up a first-quarter touchdown.
The Broncos also turned away two Tampa Bay possessions in Denver territory in the fourth quarter, stopping one drive on downs and forcing a fumble on the other.
The three-time defending NFC South champion Bucs (2-1), looking to start a season with three consecutive victories for the first time since 2005, were limited to 223 yards total offense. The loss was especially disappointing for them because it cames on the heels of beating Detroit on the road the previous week.
Mayfield was 25 of 33 passing for 163 yards, including a 6-yard scoring throw to Chris Godwin in the second quarter. Rookie Bucky Irving set up the touchdown with runs of 32 and 13 yards.
“There are a few things that we need to look at the tape and get fixed,” Mayfield said.
“This is a good lesson for our team overall. You have to prepare like you're playing in a playoff game every week or this can happen," Mayfield added. “It's a good lesson for the young guys a who haven't seen it before of what you need to be prepared for, how detailed we need to be.”
In 20 drives — excluding the end of a half — under Nix in the first two games, the Broncos had just two touchdowns and two field goals to go with 11 punts, three interceptions and two turnovers on downs. On Sunday, the rookie got off to a much better start — with completions of 22, 6 and 31 yards on the first three plays to move Denver downfield after the opening kickoff.
Nix finished the six-play, 70-yard drive with a 3-yard TD run. Later in the first quarter, the Broncos turned Brandon Jones' interception and 37-yard return to the Tampa Bay 9 into Jaleel McLaughlin's 1-yard scoring run for a 14-point lead that Lutz expanded to 17-0 with a 43-yard field goal.
The Bucs dominated No. 2 overall draft pick Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in Week 1. The loss to Nix dropped Tampa Bay to 11-6 against opposing rookie QBs since coach Todd Bowles joined the team as defensive coordinator under Bruce Arians in 2019.
“We didn't take them lightly. We didn't play well,” Bowles said. “We have to coach it better, and we have to play it better. That starts with me.”
The Buccaneers played without All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield, Jr (foot) and starting DL Vita Vea (knee) and Calijah Kancey (calf) and RT Luke Goedeke (concussion), who were inactive. ... Long snapper Evan Deckers left with a hamstring injury in the secod half.
Broncos: Remain on the road to face the New York Jets next Sunday.
Buccaneers: Host Philadelphia in a rematch of a NFC wild-card matchup won by Tampa Bay last January.
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A previous version of this story corrected the spelling of the first name of Lutz to Wil instead of Will.
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