Bo Nix, defense spark Broncos past Buccaneers 26-7
In his first NFL win, Bo Nix completed 25 of 36 passes for 216 yards and rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown, leading the visiting Denver Broncos to a 26-7 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Tyler Badie ran for 70 yards and Courtland Sutton caught seven passes for 68 yards, as the Broncos (1-2) held Tampa Bay scoreless in the second half. Wil Lutz made all four of his field goal attempts for Denver.
Baker Mayfield completed 25 of 33 passes for 163 yards and threw for a touchdown and an interception. Bucky Irving led Tampa Bay (2-1) with 70 rushing yards, while Chris Godwin hauled in six balls for 53 yards and a score.
Leading 20-7 at halftime, Denver forced punts on Tampa Bay's first two drives of the second half. Following the second Buccaneers punt, Nix led a 15-play, 79-yard drive, taking up 7:57 off the clock. The drive was punctuated with Lutz' third field goal of the game, a 33-yarder at the 14:52 mark of the fourth quarter.
After Nik Bonitto sacked Mayfield to force Tampa Bay's second turnover on downs, Badie's 43-yard rush set Denver up on the Buccaneers' 32-yard line. Denver was forced to settle for another Lutz' field goal, a 43-yarder to give the Broncos a 26-7 lead with 7:30 left.
Mayfield led the next drive to the Denver 6-yard line. After Dondrea Tillman sacked Mayfield for a loss of 10, Riley Moss stripped Cade Otton for a fumble, which was recovered by Brandon Jones, icing the Denver victory.
On the game's opening drive, Nix found Sutton, Josh Reynolds and Javonte Williams for passes of 22, 31 and 11 yards, respectively, advancing the Broncos to the Tampa Bay 3-yard line. Nix then ran in a 3-yard rollout for the game's first touchdown at the 11:05 mark of the first quarter.
After each team punted, Mayfield was intercepted by Jones, who returned the ball to the Buccaneers' 9-yard line, setting up Jaleen McLaughlin's 1-yard scoring run. Denver led 14-0 after the first quarter.
Following Jake Camarda's 33-yard punt, Denver scored again on Lutz' 43-yard field goal, capping a 41-yard drive that ate 6:52.
The Buccaneers caught a break on the next Denver drive, as Logan Hall recovered Williams' fumble on the Tampa Bay 33-yard line with 4:35 left in the first half.
For Tampa Bay, Bucky Irving broke through for runs of 32 and 13 yards on the next drive, leading to Rachaad White's 1-yard touchdown run with 1:50 remaining in the opening half.
Nix then led the Broncos on a nine-play, 50-yard drive, stamped with Lutz' 38-yard field goal as time expired in the half.
