Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham proved the same thing in Broncos preseason opener

Heading into halftime of the Denver Broncos' first preseason game of the summer vs. the Indianapolis Colts, we saw both Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix play a little bit. Stidham got the start for Denver. While he did complete 4-of-7 passes, he also turned the ball over with an interception. Nix played better once he got his turn to play, but he wasn't exactly driving the football down the field.

Yes, Nix was able to get the Broncos on the board a series of times, but they were settling more for field goals than touchdowns in the first half against a Colts team I am not sure is any good. Of the five quarterbacks to play in the first half in Indianapolis, the ageless Joe Flacco remains elite. While Denver's quarterback battle has been a major talking point, is Indianapolis' situation a better one?

What I am getting at is this. While Nix appears to be the quarterback of the future in Denver, possibly starting for the Broncos in Week 1, I remain concerned about the overall ceiling this offense has with him running it. Even though he banked a ton of starts in college at both Auburn and Oregon, we have to wonder if the Broncos will get the necessary pieces around him to thrive in Sean Payton's system.

A lot can change between now and the end of the season, but I am not high on the Broncos this year.

Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham are still major question marks as Broncos QBs

Look. There are things that Nix and Stidham can do on the football field that will help the Broncos win more games than we probably would expect out of them this season. However, I am struggling to see a very high ceiling to the current operation. It would not shock me if the Broncos finished second to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, but it is one of the worst divisions in the NFL, top to bottom.

While much can be made about what happens in the second half for Nix, or in the next two preseason games for both and all Broncos quarterbacks, this team is going to be at a quarterbacking disadvantage most weeks they play. You have four games in-division every year vs. Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. I have liked what I have seen out of Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O'Connell, too.

Ultimately, it is all going to come down to how well these Broncos players process information and how well they handle adversity. If they can hold their own in the ongoing battle vs. mental toughness, then maybe I could be wrong and this team will be riding high again one day. In the meantime, I will be waiting for that wow factor from either of these players. Because without it, Denver is only so good.

There is nothing wrong with either of these quarterbacks, only that so many other teams have better.