Ravens game chance for Broncos’ Bo Nix to prove he’s a franchise QB

The suit spoke volumes.

At a Halloween party this week, Bo Nix and his wife Izzy wore Top Gun-inspired costumes. Dressed in a leather bomber jacket, sunglasses and a buzz cut, Knicks was Iceman.

Ferris Bueller is funny, mischievous, and an expert on shortcuts. Iceman is more like Nyx’s personality – confident, driven, tough and dedicated to his craft. He’s known for sticking to the rules and coloring the lines, which is in line with Nix, who said on Jumbotron last week that if football had failed, he would have become an FBI agent.

Structure, guidelines, execution of the plan are all of paramount importance this week. Widely ahead of schedule, Nix has a chance on Sunday to prove he’s a franchise quarterback.

After a rocky start, he exuded that vibe in October, winning the NFL Rookie of the Month award.

Teams usually know by November of a quarterback’s second season whether he is the answer. Nicks rocks the Polaroid picture, growing faster than expected. His performance against the Panthers makes it easy to dream – about a winning record, about making the playoffs. Wouldn’t that be something for the Broncos after years of groping in the dark?

But the question hanging over this matchup is whether this quarterback and this team are real. The Broncos got rich from the NFC South, Raiders and Jets. In other words, their CHSAA RPI stinks.

On Sunday, the Knicks will be able to prove that this team is not a fraud. The Ravens are running the kind of tests that will understandably have many in Broncos Country hiding, afraid to stick their heads out from under the covers.

The Broncos have been wilting in these parts, to put it mildly, since Super Bowl 50. Put them in a big game against a good team and no amount of Febreze can take away the stench.

The Ravens are not a perfect matchup. They boast reigning MVP Lamar Jackson. Although he missed two practices this week with knee and back problems, he is the league’s best player. Sick, tired, injured, it doesn’t matter.

He also uses rookie quarterbacks to clean his teeth, going 8-0 against them in his career.

Meet Jackson without flinching, and Nix will answer important questions about his long-term future and his ability to meet the moment. Defeat Jackson and he will be seen as the solution, he just needs more weapons – the Broncos should trade/draft/sign a tight end and No. 1 wide receiver next week or next March – to complete his development.

Skepticism surrounds Nix. This week, the 33rd’s Dan Pizzuta ranked Nix 29th among starting quarterbacks in skill set and production, ahead of only Gardner Minshew, Mason Rudolph and Spencer Rattler. This requires Lasik surgery or a recount.

Even with his improvement, Nix’s accuracy and ceiling remain questionable. That’s what makes this game – and next week in Kansas City – such an important measuring stick. The Knicks can silence the critics and change minds by performing well against a Super Bowl contender.

He will be confident. Over the last five games, he has 10 touchdowns and a 96.4 quarterback rating. But the road remains part of his growth test.

The Knicks played well on one trip to Tampa Bay and ran past the Saints. But his overall performance defines the problem in Baltimore. Nix has yet to show that he can handle the ball and take risks.

He didn’t turn the ball over in the Broncos’ three straight road wins and wasn’t sacked. This is of extreme value. But a conservative approach won’t be enough to upset the Ravens. He needs to play more in the outfield and with his legs.

He averaged 144.5 yards passing and 40 yards rushing per game on the road against Denver. Protecting the ball is necessary, but it will hinder the victory if it interrupts his approach. The Broncos aren’t winning the rock battle in Baltimore. They should score in the mid-20s.

If Nix wants to influence the national conversation around him, he needs to make more plays – like rushing 30-plus yards – and hit a deep shot or two. The Ravens’ secondary results suggest he can. This group has had oil leaks all season, a mixture of injuries, dropped players and missed assignments. Baltimore allowed over 300 yards four times and held an opponent to under 200 yards just once.

Nix has to quickly coach Courtland Sutton on crossing routes and interact deeply with Troy Franklin or Marvin Mims Jr. You know, showing little Maverick playing with guts and instincts. And coach Sean Payton should keep Adam Trautman and Lucas Krull in the lineup as Baltimore allows the second most targets and yards to tight ends.