Bo Nix Sizzles in Win Over Green Bay

 By Eric Goska

Neither Xavier McKinney (above) nor
any other Packer could intercept Bo Nix
Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High.
(photos by Eric Goska)

Four touchdown passes and no interceptions beats four field goals and no misses any day of the week.

The flick of an arm, not the swing of a leg, carried the day at Empower Field at Mile High Sunday. That the Broncos reached the end zone while the Packers split the uprights allowed Denver to soar past Green Bay 34-26 and register an 11th straight win.

In a game featuring top-tier defenses, Bo Nix shredded Green Bay’s. The second-year player completed 23 of 34 passes for 302 yards and four touchdowns while compiling a passer rating of 134.7, the highest allowed by the Packers this season.

Nix fired scoring passes on his 8th, 12th, 18th and 25th pass attempts. He threw 18 passes during that run, posting a rating of 149.8.

The second-year phenom connected on 13 passes of 10 or more yards. His throws brought home 16 first downs.

Not once was he sacked.

For Green Bay, Brandon McManus booted field goals of 53, 26, 35 and 37 yards without a miss. His four-for-four performance was his first as a Packer.

Brandon McManus didn't miss in Denver.

But repeatedly trotting out McManus meant Green Bay underwhelmed in the red zone producing just one touchdown in four trips there. Denver was a perfect four-of-four.

Given a choice between a can’t-miss kicker or a lights-out quarterback, always go with the hot hand.

Nix became the 13th player this season to launch four or more scoring passes with no interceptions. Like the others – with the exception of one outing by Patrick Mahomes – he came away a winner.

Throughout its history, Green Bay has wilted on the road when confronted by a quarterback who can sling four TD passes and not get picked. Nix became the ninth to do it and the first since Jameis Winston uncorked five in New Orleans’ 38-3 demolition of the Packers to start the 2021 season.

Nix inflicted the most damage during the heart of the game. During the second and third quarters combined, he completed 16 of 22 passes for 237 yards and four scores (147.2 rating).

Not surprisingly, Denver piled up 289 of its 391 yards and 16 of 21 first downs during those two periods. The yardage is the most Green Bay has allowed in consecutive quarters in one game all season.

The 25-year-old romped on second down. He completed 10 of 13 throws for 161 yards and three scores (157.4 rating).

Nix utilized four different receivers – Michael Bandy, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin – to reach the end zone.  Franklin’s grab on the last play of the third quarter put Denver ahead for good.

Franklin’s touchdown could have been prevented had Xavier McKinney intercepted Nix on the drive. The veteran defensive back had two opportunities – one on a pass intended for Evan Engram on the second play of the advance and one on a deep ball for Marvin Mims Jr. three plays later – but came up short both times.

That Nix riddled Green Bay even with Micah Parsons, on the field, was disconcerting. That the Packers will be without their top defensive player for the remainder of the season – Parsons tore his ACL two plays before Nix orchestrated his final TD throw – is cause for alarm.

In the next two weeks, Green Bay will face Chicago’s Caleb Williams and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson. Both quarterbacks have already thrown four TD passes with no interceptions in victory this season. Both would like nothing more than to duplicate their efforts against a Packers team that lost more than a game in Denver.

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The nine QBs who threw 4 or more TD passes and no interceptions against a Packers team on the road.

Name                      A-C-Yds-TD      Rate    Team          Date                   Result
Tommy Kramer         25-16-241-6       135.2     Vikings        Sept. 28, 1986    GB lost, 7-42
Chad Pennington     24-17-196-4        134.7     Jets              Dec. 29, 2002      GB lost, 17-42
Peyton Manning      40-28-393-5       140.9     Colts            Sept. 26, 2004    GB lost, 31-45
Donovan McNabb   43-32-464-5       147.8     Eagles         Dec. 5, 2004        GB lost, 17-47
Drew Brees                26-20-323-4      157.5     Saints          Nov. 24, 2008     GB lost, 29-51
Marcus Mariota        26-19-295-4      149.8     Titans          Nov. 13, 2016     GB lost, 25-47
Cam Newton             31-20-242-4      128.0     Panthers     Dec. 17, 2017      GB lost, 24-31
Jameis Winston        20-14-148-5      130.8     Saints          Sept. 12, 2021    GB lost, 3-38
Bo Nix                         34-23-302-4     134.7     Broncos       Dec. 14, 2025     GB lost, 26-34