Stat line: 28 for 37, 277 passing yards, three touchdowns; four carries, 5 yards, one touchdown
Highlight: Bo Nix’s touchdown pass to Adam Trautman in the second quarter was the highlight of the game. With seven minutes to go in the quarter, Nix threw a beautiful pass, slipping the ball past linebacker Trevin Wallace before the veteran tight end made the one-handed grab.
Lowlight: Out of all of the sacks Nix has taken this season, the worst one came in the first quarter on Sunday. Nix had generated some momentum with a 23-yard pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton, but sucked it all away when he was sacked for a 13-yard loss on third down. Credit the Panthers for having solid coverage on the play, but Nix should’ve thrown the ball away. Instead, he knocked the Broncos out of field goal range, forcing his team to punt.
Analysis: The Panthers are bad, and Nix took advantage. He operated the offense smoothly while Payton put him in a position to throw the ball down the field. He recorded a pair of 37-yard receptions to Sutton and Trautman. Outside of the sack and not connecting with wideout Troy Franklin, there’s a lot to be happy with about Nix’s day, especially in the first half when he was 21 of 27 for 220 yards and two touchdowns. This was the kind of feel-good performance that Nix needed, as he looked to find more rhythm and consistency in the pocket.
Unsung Hero
Nik Bonitto: The sack streak continues. Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto has recorded a sack in six straight games after taking down Panthers quarterback Bryce Young for a 6-yard loss in the fourth quarter. He and outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper each recorded a sack on a strong afternoon from Denver’s defense.
Goat of the game
Panthers special teams: The state of the Panthers organization was summarized in one play. Facing a fourth down with 8:28 to go in the third, Carolina tried to catch Denver off guard with a fake punt attempt. However, punter Johnny Hekker’s comically bad pass sailed over his intended target for an incompletion. Denver took advantage of the solid field position. Nix threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jaleel McLaughlin.
