“The confidence and the trust that Sean Payton has in his rookie quarterback Bo Nix is evident,” Peter Schrager said on NFL Network.
Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw a 93-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Mims on Monday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns last week.
On an episode of Good Morning Football following the game, NFL Network’s Peter Schrager broke down how that play exemplified the confidence that coach Sean Payton has in Nix.
“Here’s Sean Payton, back against his own end zone here on third and long. And a lot of teams would say, ‘Young quarterback, just hand the ball off.’ Third and 11, he’s like, ‘Let it rip over the middle!’ This is the development and the maturation of a rookie quarterback who has a lot more on his plate than he did in the first half of the season. … The confidence and the trust that Sean Payton has in his rookie quarterback Bo Nix is evident.”
“Here the Broncos are, no complaints, still in the thick of it,” Peter Schrager said of Sean Payton’s playoff-contending squad.
The arrival of Sean Payton promised a cultural change with the Denver Broncos: out would be the loose and unprepared culture that Nathaniel Hackett imposed and the Hollywood attraction that became Russell Wilson. In? A team that would be prepared to contend for an NFL playoff run as the calendar turns to December.
One media member is willing to say the Broncos made the loudest statement in Week 12, as they defeated the Las Vegas Raiders to improve to 7-5. Peter Schrager believes the win helped put the Broncos in the driver’s seat as a significant player in the upcoming NFL playoffs.
“Rookie QB, no bye week until Week 14, and a back-breaking loss on a blocked field goal in Arrowhead… and yet, here the Broncos are, no complaints, still in the thick of it,” Schrager said on Good Morning Football earlier this week.
“Rookie QB, no bye week until Week 14, and a back-breaking loss on a blocked field goal in Arrowhead… and yet, here the @Broncos are, no complaints, still in the thick of it.”
Bills’ Sean McDermott offers injury updates during bye week
During NFL Week 12, the Buffalo Bills enjoy their bye week, offering an opportunity for some rest and extra advance preparation for their next game following a 30-21 home win against the Kansas City Chiefs.
They topped their AFC rival without several key starters including middle linebacker Matt Milano (bicep tear), wide receiver Keon Coleman (wrist), tight end Dalton Kincaid (knee), offensive lineman Spencer Brown (ankle), and defensive tackle DeWayne Carter (wrist) who were out with injuries.
Next up the team will host the San Francisco 49ers at Highmark Stadium, and fans and media members have been wondering which players might return to the field in that contest.
Milano, who’s missed most of the season so far, has begun to practice again and could see a return to gameplay as early as Week 13. The rookie Coleman as well as second-year pro Kincaid received a positive update by way of ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler in terms of recovery this week.
While he did not definitely say whether the two impact players on offense would be back for the game against the Niners, he did share that neither player’s injury appears to be substantial or long-term.
Buffalo has notably never lost coming out of a bye week under head coach Sean McDermott, a trend they hope will continue and one they hope will extend to the postseason, as they pursue the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed and first-round bye.
He had good news for the Bills and their fans following Sunday’s win over the Chiefs, sharing that the team didn’t have any new additions to the injury report. And there may be more good news on their existing injured players coming soon, though he made a point to manage expectations.
“There’s this pool of players that they’re kind of tiered as to when we expect to get each one of them back,”McDermott said.
“Again this week being kind of a rehab week for the players that are banged up, the message I’m getting from our training room is ‘hey we’ll let you know kind of how this week goes and then what that looks like for next week’ so you know the challenge is not really knowing as we start to game plan a little bit towards the end of this week who’s available, but certainly understand that the trainers need some more time with these guys and you know again it’s kind of like ‘hey who who are they going to hand us on Monday? Are we to get one player? Two players? More? Less what we have? So we just got to kind of take it one day at a time here, big picture coming out of the game without any serious injuries.”
They still have some challenges ahead in the remaining six contests on the regular season schedule, including road games against the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions right after the 49ers matchup.
But with a healthy roster, the Bills could make a push into the postseason and potentially lock up the No. 1 seed, allowing them to get even healthier headed into the playoffs.
GMFB’s Peter Schrager: No one made ‘louder statement’ last week than Bills (video)
NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” roundtable conversation on Monday following the Week 11 slate of games around the league included a take on which club among them made the “loudest statement”.
Analyst Peter Schrager chose the Bills following their 30-21 win over the Chiefs. He was complimentary of head coach Sean McDermott and pointed out that this regular season win over Kansas City felt different than past ones.
“I don’t think anyone made a louder statement made in the league than what the Bills did yesterday against the Chiefs,” Schrager said the morning after the matchup.
From Tom Brady to Colin Cowherd, the NFL world reacted in a big way to QB Bo Nix’s impressive performance.
After Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a historic performance against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11, NFL pundits have offered their takes on the first-year signal caller. Here’s a recap of the reactions this week.
Tom Brady names Bo Nix one of his 3 stars of the week
The pair mentioned in the game against Atlanta, Nix had his highest yards-per-pass (9.8) of the season.
Chris Simms breaks down Bo Nix’s ‘surgically explosive’ performance
Former NFL quarterback Chris Simms has seen the difference for the Broncos offense. “I just love the look of Bo Nix, I really do,” said Simms. “I love the offense they’re running, too.”
Shannon Sharpe, Chad Johnson chime in on Bo Nix’s big game
The two former pass catchers reacted to Nix’s huge stat line from the Falcons game. “(Nix) was one of three Bronco rookie quarterbacks to ever throw four touchdowns in a game,” noted Sharpe.
Colin Cowherd says Bo Nix is a top-12 quarterback in the NFL
After Nix had his highest stats of the season, ESPN insider Adam Schefter marveled at the young quarterback. “Rookies don’t do that,” Schefter remarked on the Pat McAfee Show. “That’s over 80 percent completion rate, four touchdowns, no interceptions. Bo Nix is getting better and better and better.”
Jamie Erdahl says Bo Nix was the NFL’s big winner in Week 11
Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky said that Nix is having a great season. “He’s got control and he has the answers,” said Orlovsky. “Control of everything they’re trying to do in Denver offensively.”
PFF reacts to Bo Nix’s play and Broncos’ impressive offensive line
Although the rest of the NFL is giving Nix all the love, PFF realized that the Broncos’ offensive line is a key part of the success Nix has been having throughout the season.
Tim Jenkins breaks down film of Bo Nix’s best game yet
Tim Jenkins called Nix’s historic performance “the best performance I’ve seen out of a rookie quarterback this season, and if I’m really being honest, the best performance I’ve seen from a Broncos quarterback in a long, long, long time.”
Kurt Benkert reviews Bo Nix’s great game vs. Falcons
Former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert broke down Nix’s incredible performance against Atlanta in an 18-minute video.
Doug Farrar breaks down Bo Nix’s recent rise
New All-22 video for @AthlonSports: Bo Nix’s ascent as the @Broncos‘ franchise QB after a long post-Peyton Manning search is happening. Sean Payton brought up two plays that speak to Nix’s recent development. Nix is taking one of the NFL’s most complex playbooks to the field. pic.twitter.com/w4qhzp9Eai
“Peyton Manning retired after the 2015 season, and from 2016-2023, the Denver Broncos threw 13 different quarterbacks into the fire to try and replace him,” said Farrar. “But now with 2024 first-round draft pick Bo Nix, Denver may finally have a guy to mercifully end that quarterback curse.”
Chris Long reacts to Bo Nix’s impressive improvement this season
Super Bowl champion Chris Long praised Nix, as an older rookie quarterback who is hitting his stride with head coach Sean Payton.
Chase Daniel says Bo Nix should be Rookie of the Year
“In my opinion, (Nix is) right now neck and neck with (Commanders quarterback) Jayden Daniels in the Offensive Rookie of the Year category,” said the former QB.
Nix is certainly making a serious case for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Can he continue this high-quality quarterback play through the rest of the season?
NFL analyst Peter Schrager heaped a ton of praise on Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph following Week 5.
The Denver Broncos have a winning record thus far in the 2024 season, in many aspects due to their stifling defense. And NFL Network analyst Peter Schrager has taken notice of the elite group.
“I give out a coach of the week award every week. It could be a head coach, a special teams person, it could be an assistant coach at any level, and I am so excited to give Vance Joseph the award for coach of the week this week,” Schrager said on Good Morning Football this week.
“The Denver Broncos defense is the best in the league, and they were rocking those Orange Crush uniforms and they absolutely dominated the Raiders.”
Schrager went on to praise the Broncos’ defense for their success across the 2024 season.
“Looking at this unit this season, they are allowing 14 points per game this season. That’s good for second in the league,” Schrager said. “They have 19 sacks, 75 quarterback pressures and 41 quarterback hits, all good for top three in the league entering Monday Night Football.”
Later on in his segment, Schrager lauded the humility of the defensive coordinator.
“Vance, personally, the story is so cool. He was the head coach of the Broncos, got unceremoniously fired, worked elsewhere, got the job with Sean Payton to be defensive coordinator, has no ego, says ‘Sure, I’ll be defensive coordinator.’ They give up 70 in a game to the Dolphins last season, and everybody says ‘Get rid of Vance Joseph!’
“They have since been one of the most dominant units in the league [since then]. Vance Joseph, love the focus, love the way this team is performing and we love the fact that your story tells you that you do not shut the door on a guy who’s done it his entire career.”
Well-deserved praise for Joseph and Denver’s defense.
NFL analyst Peter Schrager named Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell a Coach of the Year candidate Monday morning on Good Morning Football.
The 2024 Minnesota Vikings are easily one of the most surprising teams in the NFL through three weeks, due in large part to the play of quarterback Sam Darnold and the coaching of Kevin O’Connell. On Monday, Good Morning Football, NFL analyst Peter Schrager called the Vikings “the story of the NFL through three weeks” and dubbed O’Connell a Coach of the Year candidate.
The Vikings entered the season with little to no expectation of success from most outlets. They were coming into the season with a rookie quarterback waiting in the wings and a re-tread quarterback who was a draft bust and had bounced around the league, serving as the “bridge” to the rookie whenever his inevitable ascent to the starting position would occur.
Whatever expectations there might have been for the team were further dashed when that rookie quarterback suffered a knee injury and was lost for the year. The knowledge that the Vikings would have to spend the entire season with Darnold at the helm meant, to most, that 2024 was going to be a lost season. Except for the 53 men in the locker room and the head coach Kevin O’Connell.
O’Connell saw something in Darnold, dating back to his days at USC, and was convinced that Darnold would do well in his system. It was a gamble and one that, at least through the first three weeks of the season, is paying huge dividends.
Not only is Sam Darnold playing well, he’s making a case for Comeback Player of the Year with the turnaround he’s made under O’Connell in the Vikings offense. And for that turnaround, along with the 3-0 start, O’Connell himself has begun to receive some high praise.
If the Vikings keep winning — especially like they have the past two weeks — it’s only a matter of time before more join the bandwagon with Schrager.
NFL Network analyst roundtable compliments Jets fans vs. Patriots
NFL Network analyst Peter Schrager took in the New York Jets’ 24-3 win over the New England Patriots live and in person.
The “Good Morning Football” host was at MetLife Stadium for Week 3’s “Thursday Night Football” clash.
Schrager was impressed with the Jets on the field, quarterback Aaron Rodgers specifically.
He was equally fired up for the fans.
Schrager noted how it felt like it was the first time in a long time it felt like those people in the stands wearing green and white were able to enjoy a game, wire-to-wire. Hard to argue with that.
Schrager’s breakdown on Jets-Patriots can be found below:
“I was there at Met Life Stadium last night… the crowd and that win… it was unlike any @nyjets game I’ve been to in years. It was wire to wire, so dominant, so one-sided that the fans didn’t even quite know what to do with themselves. Well, get used to it. They’re just getting… pic.twitter.com/wY7skcoHcT
NFL Network’s Peter Schrager has the Broncos making the playoffs this season. Do you Bolieve?
Going into the 2024 NFL season, not many people view the Denver Broncos as a playoff contender. However, there is one analyst who sees more than what is on the surface. NFL Network’s Peter Schrager declared on a recent episode of Good Morning Football that the Broncos would be the fifth seed in the AFC come playoff time.
“Rookie quarterback Bo Nix, the sixth quarterback (selected in the 2024 NFL draft), no Justin Simmons, all these guys you’ve known on this team — in Sean Payton I trust,” Schrager said earlier this week. “He’s had a full year to get his cards in order and his guys in places he wants them to succeed. I’ve seen this guy do it with a lot less in New Orleans.”
Schrager’s take is a far cry from what the Las Vegas over/under is on the Broncos. Oddsmakers have set Denver’s win total for 2024 at 5.5 wins, which the Broncos will have to crush in order to get into the playoffs, much less the fifth seed. In 2023, the Cleveland Browns locked up the fifth seed with 11 wins.
Can the Broncos exceed all (except Schrager’s) expectations in 2024? Let’s get past Week 1 before we make assumptions!
Jets land Brock Bowers in Peter Schrager’s mock draft
NFL Network insider Peter Schrager is one of the most plugged-in reporters in the business, so him dropping his first mock draft could potentially shed some light as to what directions teams will go in during the first round of the draft.
Pass-catcher is a clear need for the Jets heading into the draft as they look to expand their offense as much as possible and Schrager gives them exactly that in his mock, going with Georgia tight end Brock Bowers, yet another mock draft linking the two together.
Keep in mind that three wide receivers — Marvin Harrison Jr, Rome Odunze, Malik Nabers — all were off the board by the time New York picked in this mock. Nabers went one pick before the Jets, but it was to the Indianapolis Colts, who traded up from No. 15 to No. 9 to land the LSU wide receiver. So the next-best option in this case was Bowers, who Schrager called a “special prospect”.
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This is a special prospect. In fact, I’ve been told by multiple general managers that I’m not high enough on Bowers and that his ability after the catch sets him apart from just about every tight end prospect since Kyle Pitts. Excellent player, a winner and another weapon for Aaron Rodgers to exploit — this pairing does indeed make a ton of sense.
Certainly, the Jets don’t necessarily need a tight end but adding one as explosive as Bowers is far from a bad idea. Tyler Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert are very solid options, but neither can stress a defense like Bowers can.
The only offensive tackle that was off the board in this case was Joe Alt, who went No. 7 to the Tennessee Titans. It’s looking more and more likely the quarterbacks will push prospects down the board for the Jets. Four quarterbacks could very well go in the top six picks, maybe even the first four picks. That should make the Jets’ board pretty nice when they are on the board at No. 10. Bowers will be among the favorites to be that pick.
