Denver dominated Tampa Bay 26-7. The Broncos lost 26-20 to the Seahawks and 13-6 to the Steelers to start the season.
The Bucs had only 223 yards, turned it over twice and took seven sacks in an uncharacteristic sloppy home effort to fall to 2-1. Dondrea Tillman had two of the sacks, and Brandon Jones had the pick for the Broncos.
The Broncos gained 352 yards as Nix completed 25 of 36 passes for 216 yards and ran for 49 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown, on eight carries. Tyler Badie ran for 70 yards on nine carries, and Jaleel McLaughlin ran for a 1-yard touchdown.
Courtland Sutton caught seven passes for 68 yards.
Wil Lutz kicked field goals of 43, 38, 33 and 43 yards.
Baker Mayfield 25-of-33 for 163 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Chris Godwin scored the team’s only touchdown on a 5-yard reception.
Bucky Irving ran for 70 yards on nine carries.
Quarterback Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos went on the road and commanded their first win of the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-7 on Sunday afternoon.
Nix achieved his first career win as a Bronco and an NFL quarterback. He threw for 216 yards, completing 25 of 36 pass attempts. He also rushed for 47 yards, including a touchdown.
Running back Tyler Badie rushed for 70 yards, and wide receiver Courtland Sutton completed 68 receiving yards in the Broncos victory.
The Broncos continue to travel for week 4 of the NFL's regular season in a meeting with the New York Jets on Sunday, Sept. 29.
These are the players and plays that led to the Broncos' Week 3 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Nix and the Broncos went into a presumably difficult and unseasonably warm road environment, but neither the rookie nor his teammates appeared fazed at any point. The rookie 12th overall pick averaged a modest 6.0 yards per attempt, but he steered clear of any turnovers for the first time in his nascent career. Nix demonstrated his usual rushing prowess as well, and he recorded his second career rushing touchdown on a three-yard run to cap off Denver's opening drive. Nix connected with an impressive nine targets overall, perhaps showing an increasing command of coach Sean Payton's offense heading into a Week 4 road matchup against the Jets next Sunday.
Broncos Avoid 0-3 Start
The Broncos' defense was the driving force behind their victory, sacking Baker Mayfield seven times and intercepting the Bucs quarterback once to set up a second-quarter touchdown. The Broncos (1-2) 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.
Nix's Growth as a Quarterback
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 2-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.
A Look at the Buccaneers' Struggles
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, was limited to 223 yards total offense. Mayfield was 25 of 33 passing for 163 yards, including a 6-yard scoring throw to Chris Godwin in the second quarter.
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 quarterbacks since coach Todd Bowles joined the team as defensive coordinator under Bruce Arians in 2019.
Key Takeaways from the Game
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The Broncos' defense played with an intensity that was missing in the first two weeks, limiting the Buccaneers to just 223 yards of total offense.
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Bo Nix showed progress as a quarterback, making smart decisions and avoiding turnovers. He also demonstrated his ability to make plays with his legs.
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The Buccaneers were hampered by injuries, particularly on the defensive line, which contributed to their struggles.
Looking Ahead
The Broncos will face another tough test in Week 4 as they travel to New York to take on the Jets, while the Buccaneers will host the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of last season's NFC Wild Card Game.
The win against the Buccaneers was a much-needed boost for the Broncos, who are hoping to build on their momentum as they enter the heart of the season.
