Forget playoffs. Bo Nix has already answered most important question

The national media tune on Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix is changing. Nix continues to improve week in and week out, and the talking heads who heaped shame on the Broncos for daring to disagree with their evaluations of him as a prospect are now singing his praises.

There’s no denying Nix’s marked improvement in recent weeks. Against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, he became the first rookie in NFL history to pass for 300+ yards and four touchdowns with a completion percentage above 80%.

The rookie quarterback’s improved play, combined with the Broncos’ continued excellence on defense has put the team in the driver’s seat for the AFC’s seventh seed. As long as the team takes care of business against teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts, a postseason berth seems all but assured.

But the Broncos making the playoffs was never the most important goal for the team to achieve this season. The most crucial thing for the team to do was to find out if Nix could be a starter in the NFL, a quarterback they could build around. In short, Nix had to answer the question of whether or not he was the guy Sean Payton thought he was drafting.

Nix has answered that question with an emphatic yes. His footwork has improved before the eyes of audiences, and his comfort in Payton’s offense is letting him continue to make bigger and more daring plays down the field. Even with a group of pass-catchers that doesn’t have a superstar-level talent, Nix is making incredible progress.

A league-best pass protecting offensive line (by many metrics) is helping this growth. But Nix has still answered the most important question the Broncos had before the season started: whether or not he was a player the team could build its future around. He appears to be every inch that player, whether or not Denver makes the playoffs in its first season with Nix under center.