Broncos Stun Buccaneers: Top Takeaways From Huge Win, Including Bo Nix

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos are in the win column for the first time this season.

At 0-2 heading into Sunday's road date with the undefeated Tampa Bay Buccaneers , no one really gave the Broncos a chance in this one.

From the get in Tampa, the Broncos proved naysayers wrong. They outscored the Bucs 14-0 in the opening stanza. This included a 70-yard game-opening touchdown drive that culminated in a three-yard score from Nix on the ground.

Later in the first quarter, safety Brandon Jones picked off Baker Mayfield. It led to a short field and another touchdown for the Broncos.

This was pretty much the difference in what ended up being a shocking 26-7 road win for the Broncos.

Top Takeaways From Denver Broncos Huge Week 3 Win

There is a lot to look at here. From Nix playing flawless football to running back Tyler Badie providing balance on offense, that side of the ball played well.

Defensively, the Broncos put a ton of pressure on Mayfield. That included multiple players setting up shop in the Buccaneers' backfield. These are among the top takeaways from Denver's big time Week 3 win in Tampa.

Bo Nix Puts Up Best Performance Of Young Season

A lot was made of how much this rookie first-round pick from Oregon struggled through two games. In fact, I called for Broncos head coach Sean Payton to bench Nix in favor of either Zach Wilson or Jarrett Stidham.

The youngster proved naysayers wrong in Sunday's win over Tampa Bay. After throwing four interceptions over the first two games, Nix was not picked off in this one. He ended up completing 25-of-36 passes for 216 yards while adding 47 yards and a score on the ground.

"The kid's been confident. I haven't seen him flinch," Payton told reporters after Sunday's win .

This is a far cry from the first two games. Nix looked more poised in the pocket. He also was not sacked a single time, which is a testament to how well the Broncos' offensive line played in front of the rookie quarterback.

Broncos Defense Harassed Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield

Denver's defense entered Sunday's game having recorded four sacks through the first two weeks. Jonathon Cooper led the team with two quarterback take downs.

But this unit absolutely dominated the Buccaneers' offensive line on Sunday. That included getting to Mayfield for seven sacks and nine quarterback hits. Defensive lineman Dondrea Tillman recorded the first two sacks of his young career. Cooper, Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, Nik Bonitto and Devon Key all also added a sack of their own.

In reality, Denver's depth came into play big time on Sunday. It's not about one elite-level player. It's a group that came together to absolutely control the line of scrimmage against Tampa Bay. This is one of the primary reasons the Broncos earned their first win of the season.

Broncos Find Balance On Offense

Nix entered Sunday's game as the Broncos' leading rusher with 60 yards. Obviously, that's not sustainable. Payton knew that. Denver's running backs were not ignorant of it, either.

Javonte Williams continued his early-season struggles with 12 yards on five attempts. After a lost fumble in the second quarter ended up resulting in Tampa's only touchdown of the game, he was pretty much a forgotten man.

It was then all about a player in Tyler Badie who was just recently activated off the practice squad and had all of two career rushes heading into the game.

The Missouri product put up 70 yards on nine rush attempts. This included a huge 43-yard run in the fourth quarter that set up a Broncos field goal and a 26-7 lead.

Sure, the Broncos are going to need more from Williams moving forward. But for at least one game, their rushing attack helped Nix out big time.

Patrick Surtain II Dominates Mike Evans

This was one of my focuses heading into Sunday's game. If Surtain II was going to prove his worth as the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL , it would have to come against future Hall of Famer Mike Evans in Week 3.

Boy, he did not disappoint on this one. Surtain II pretty much shadowed Evans throughout the game. Accordingly, the star receiver caught just two passes for 17 yards on three targets. Talk about Surtain II pretty much shutting down one side of the field.

When you add in what the Broncos' pass rush did on Sunday, and their defense was absolutely dominating against an offense that had been humming heading into Week 3.