Former Denver Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib isn’t letting Ryan Fitzpatrick’s shots at Bo Nix slide. Talib fired back in a video posted by the Gridiron podcast Friday, a day after Fitzpatrick ripped Nix on Prime Video following Denver’s 17-14 overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks.
Fitzpatrick said Nix is “not playing competitively” and called his play “almost disrespectful to the quarterback position.” Talib took exception to who was saying it. “If anybody’s going to say that this guy’s play is disrespectful to that position, be a GOAT,” Talib said, naming Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Patrick Mahomes as the quarterbacks who could. He also pointed to Fitzpatrick’s nine teams in 17 seasons. Fitzpatrick answered with a joke on X: “Just got off the phone with Aqib Talib…happy we were able to work thru our differences.”
Bo Nix’s numbers back up Fitzpatrick
Talib’s loyalty makes sense. The numbers are harder to defend. Nix went 17 of 27 for 107 yards against Seattle, and Denver’s 168 total yards were the fewest in a Broncos win since John Elway’s first start in 1983. His 5.6 yards per attempt this season is down from 6.7 as a rookie and 6.4 last year, per Pro Football Reference.
PFF’s numbers aren’t kinder. Nix’s 46.6 overall grade ranks 33rd among 35 qualifying quarterbacks, his average depth of target is 6.3 yards, and his 41.0 rushing grade is last among 24 qualifiers. That last one matters, because Fitzpatrick questioned Nix’s overtime decisions and wanted him to make somebody miss for a first down.
Talib’s real argument is that Nix wins, and Denver is 4-2. The defense deserves most of that credit. Seven different Broncos had a sack against Seattle, and linebacker Alex Singleton led the unit with a 90.5 grade, according to PFF. Even Sean Payton admitted the 4-2 start could just as easily be 2-4.
Broncos Country will get another look Sunday in Arizona. The Cardinals play zone coverage at the fourth-highest rate in the league, and Nix ranks 29th in PFF grade against zone, which puts the first fix before the Cardinals squarely on him.
More on the Denver Broncos
- Bo Nix’s Missing Legs Could Decide Whether the Broncos Commit to Him Long Term
- Bo Nix Has 230 Passing Yards in Two Weeks, and That’s the First Fix Before the Cardinals
- Broncos’ 14 Straight One-Score Wins Are Hiding an Offense That Ranks 31st in Yards
- Who Replaces Jonah Elliss? Quandarrius Robinson’s 6 Pressures vs. Seattle Make His Case
