Recipe for a Bo Nix disaster-class now has all of the ingredients

Bo Nix was not guaranteed a starting spot after being taken with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but his performance in the preseason helped him leapfrog both Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson on the Denver Broncos depth chart and be named the team's starter prior to Week 1.

It's safe to say that Nix and the Broncos have learned that succeeding against third-stringers in meaningless preseason games means relatively nothing when he has to face the best defensive players in the world weeks later.

Through two games, the 24-year-old has completed just 59.7 percent of his passes, averaging fewer than 200 passing yards per game. He has yet to throw a touchdown and is tied for the league lead with four interceptions. The Broncos have lost both of their games thus far, managing just 26 points overall.

Broncos fans have reason to expect that their rookie will get better once he gets more comfortable. That may be true, but it won't happen in Week 3, and there are several reasons to suggest why.

Broncos fans could be in for another rough Bo Nix performance

The Broncos were dealt some frustrating injury news with one of their offensive linemen, Mike McGlinchey, being placed on IR according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. McGlinchey might not be their best overall offensive lineman, but he's known for helping assist the running game, and the Broncos have not been able to run the ball at all so far this season. Somehow, things could get even worse on that front.

In addition to Nix being without his right tackle, the Broncos have to face a red-hot Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that has started 2-0, playing well on both sides of the ball. They held Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders to 20 points in Week 1 and then held the high-powered Detroit Lions to just 16 points in their Week 2 win.

The Commanders might not project to be a great team, but Daniels is a dynamic quarterback who can put up points on his own. The Lions are a legitimate Super Bowl threat and have one of the best offenses in the NFL. The Buccaneers holding them to 18 points on average is extraordinary. If the Bucs were able to do that against offenses with upside, what can they do against arguably the worst offense in the AFC?

Todd Bowles and their strong defense smell blood, and are going to make Nix uncomfortable from the jump. Nix is on the road, coming off two brutal games, and is without a key offensive lineman. He was frustrated after Week 2, and there's every reason to believe Week 3 will go even worse. He might figure it out sometime down the line, but certainly not in Tampa Bay.