Bo Nix Gets Bad News Before Broncos’ Showdown Against Texans
The Denver Broncos are on the road in Week 9, taking on the Houston Texans, a 10-win playoff team that is off to a slow start in 2025. However, the Broncos and, specifically, quarterback
The Broncos’ final injury report of Week 9 confirmed an earlier trend from the week, with their All-Pro return man and
It thins out a largely unproven group of playmakers around Nix.
Bo Nix Loses WR2 as Broncos Rule Marvin Mims Out vs Texans
GettyMarvin Mims Jr. #19 of the Denver Broncos puts on his helmet during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mims suffered a concussion against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, and the 2023 second-round pick never progressed enough to practice at any point leading up to Week 9, when the Broncos will face the league’s fifth-ranked scoring and overall defense.
That defense features a strong secondary and a dynamic pass rush.
Notably, Nix is on his third starting left guard after Ben Powers and replacement Matt Peart landed on injured reserve.
Nix has done well to avoid sacks, leading the league in sack rates among qualifying QBs, per Pro Football Reference. Losing Mims, whose speed is as useful on screens as it is on deep passes and in the return game, is a significant blow on paper.
However, Mims ranks fourth on the Broncos in targets this season.
Pro Bowler Courtland Sutton leads the way. Nix’s fellow second-year man and former Oregon Ducks teammate, Troy Franklin, is second, while tight end
Nix and the Broncos also lean on rookies in Pat Bryant at wide receiver and RJ Harvey out of the backfield as a pass-catcher. Starting tailback
While the Broncos also ruled tight end Nate Adkins out, they still have
Broncos’ Injuries Loom Large
GettyPat Surtain II #2 of the Denver Broncos reacts after a win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Backing Nix and the offense, the Broncos are getting linebacker Dre Greenlaw back from a one-game suspension.
They will not have All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II in their secondary, though.
That could prove problematic with Texans wide receivers Christian Kirk and Nico Collins returning from injury-related absences. Collins, Texans QB C.J. Stroud’s top target, suffered a concussion in Week 7 that sidelined him last week.
Kirk, who missed the Texans’ first two games of the season with hamstring issues, missed their Weeks 7 and 8 contests after aggravating the injury in practice.
The Texans also cleared
Texans Need Replacements to Step Up
GettyKris Abrams-Draine #31 of the Denver Broncos in action against the Green Bay Packers
Surtain’s replacement, be it Kris Abrams-Draine or Jahdae Barron, could supplant Riley Moss as the most targeted Broncos defender in Week 9. The Broncos need their top-flight pass rush, which leads the league in sacks, to expose the weaknesses in the Texans’ offensive line.
That would be at center and left guard. Coincidentally, Nix and the Broncos are on their third starting LG due to injuries.
The Texans’ pass rush is stronger off the edges
However, their talented backend could force Nix to hold the ball longer, while the Texans’ edge rushers prevent him from breaking the pocket for scrambles, at which he has proven to be effective. Nix and the Broncos can deliver another statement with a win over the Texans.
Dan Campbell’s brutally honest assessment of Lions should scare rest of NFL
The Detroit Lions have been one of the best teams in the NFL this season. Even after losing both of their coordinators this offseason, Detroit seemingly hasn't lost a step. They come out of their bye week with a 5-2 record, scoring key wins against some of the top contenders in the process.
If the Lions are to be believed, they still aren't playing to their full potential. Head coach Dan Campbell believes that Detroit still has another gear this season. The Lions HC said that they could stand to be better at playing complementary football over the course of the season.
“I really believe we haven't played our best ball yet collectively in all three phases,” Campbell said, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN. “And that's really what we're trying to get to here is how can we sharpen ourselves. We know it's going to take every phase. Every game's different, and one unit may have to pick up the slack, but we need to start playing complete ball across the board. And just keep improving — like with all these teams that we're in the race with right now. So, that's where we're at.”
The Lions have highlighted four key areas for improvement during their bye week. That includes their third-down efficiency on both sides of the ball. Detroit is ranked 22nd in third-down conversion rate this season with just 37.7%, far below their 47% rate last season. On the other side, they're allowing a similar third-down conversion rate on defense, which is higher than their 32.5% rate last year.
The two other areas that the Lions focused on during the bye week are their red zone defense and Jameson Williams' involvement on offense. While Detroit's defense has been generally solid this season, it's allowing a whopping 63.6% of its opponents' red zone trips to end in a touchdown. On the other hand, Williams has had an up-and-down season thanks in large part to his fluctuating target rate. Detroit's offense is at its best when the threat of Jamo downfield opens up the rest of the offense. Finding ways to get him in space is going to be crucial for this team moving forward.
The Lions open the second half of their season with a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings at home. Will Detroit apply what they've installed during the bye week in their next games?
