Broncos rookie Bo Nix outperforms veteran QBs in preseason debut

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw one touchdown pass and took Denver on long scoring marches to close the first half and open the second half Sunday as the Broncos picked up a 34-30 victory at Indianapolis in their preseason opener.

Nix, the No. 12 overall draft pick in April, was 15 of 21 for 125 yards while rushing three times for 17 yards before departing midway through the third quarter and being replaced by former New York Jets starter Zach Wilson.

Veteran Jarrett Stidham started the game and finished 4 of 7 with 57 yards and one interception.

But in his first NFL game, Nix may have taken the lead in the battle for Denver's starting job.

"Bo Nix is just a great athlete, and I was so close to getting that dude," Colts rookie Laiatu Latu said. "But I didn't get him."

He certainly was the most efficient of the three and proved the difference playing mostly against Indy's backup defense.

For the Colts, it was all about seeing second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson and 2021 NFL rushing champ Jonathan Taylor in the same backfield after injuries limited the duo to just two snaps all of last season.

They played just two series and didn't get much done. Richardson finished 2 of 4 with 25 yards and ran once for 1 yard in his first action since suffering a season-ending injury to his throwing shoulder last October. Taylor had two carries for 4 yards.

"We were talking about that in the locker room at halftime," Richardson said, explaining he was excited to appear in his first game since last October. "We were kind of disappointed we didn't get more reps than that. But there's time for that."

Longtime veteran Joe Flacco led the Colts to a field goal on his only series and was 3 of 5 for 28 yards.

Nix broke a 3-3 tie with a