ENGLEWOOD – When Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga was about to head to the podium after Sunday’s game to address the media, he was wearing a Bo Nix T-shirt. 

The Broncos quarterback saw it and joked with Hufanga. 

“I was like maybe after my performance, he didn’t want to wear it,’’ Nix said after Wednesday’s practice at Broncos Park. 

Nix, much hyped entering his second Denver season, had struggled in a 20-12 win over the lowly Tennessee Titans at Empower Field at Mile High. He completed 25 of 40 passes for 176 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, and also lost a fumble. 

With Denver having won the game, at least Nix could offer a joke. As for now, he is determined to bounce back Sunday at Indianapolis. 

“I know that I can be a lot better,’’ he said. 

Nix reiterated that he was too aggressive at times against the Titans and didn’t necessarily have to be due to Denver having such a stout defense. The Broncos allowed just 133 yards in Week 1, which ranks them No. 1 in the NFL in total defense. 

“Just watching them, tough plays. … All three of them,’’ Nix said of the turnovers. “In the future, maybe not be so aggressive, but at the same time that’s what makes us quarterbacks good. It’s a fine line of being aggressive, but sometimes it just happens, and you just have to move on. I can definitely take a little bit more calculated attempts, and that’s what I’ll attempt to do in the future.” 

Nix said that after an uneven showing, he doesn’t necessarily watch more film or talk to additional people. However, Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin, who played with Nix at Oregon from 2022-23, wouldn’t be surprised if he puts in some additional work heading into the game against the Colts, who walloped Miami 33-8 in Week 1. 

“He’s definitely going to prepare a little more now that that happened or whatever the case is,’’ Franklin said. “And then us too, we’re going to have his back and make those plays for him.” 

Veteran receiver Courtland Sutton echoed that. 

“I love being able to look at (Nix) and say, ‘Hey, we got you,’’ Sutton said. “Things could be going great and we could be winning 50-0, and I’m like, ‘Hey, we got you.’ He is a competitor. He challenges himself to be perfect. … That is something you love to see from your quarterback. … But it’s not just him. It’s all of us. We all need to be reminded now and again that the weight of the world is not on your shoulders, it is on all of us.” 

Nevertheless, Nix doesn’t mind having plenty of pressure on him. After all, he has been a regular starting quarterback at every level, including when he was an eighth-grader in Alabama and playing high school football. 

“I think the ownership is a part of the job, it’s part of the pressure, that’s why I love the position,’’ Nix said. “But with (Broncos head coach Sean Payton) doing it, it’s kind of the same. The head coach and the quarterback get all the credit when you win and most of the blame when you lose. That’s how it’s always going to be.” 

Even though the Broncos won Sunday, Nix still has faced a good amount of criticism. As for Payton, he said Monday he needed to “be better” in looking to establish the run early against the Titans. In the first quarter, the Broncos called 14 pass plays and just three running plays. 

“I don’t know how many games I’ve called, but that’s one of them where I came away from it like, ‘I have to be a lot better,’’’ said Payton, in his 18^th season as an NFL head coach, Wednesday. “It was one of those games, especially early (in the season). In that self-check (Monday), if you’re not careful sometimes the game can be over and you’re on to the next opponent. … We have to be leading the way in all areas.” 

There were some highlights, though, for Nix against the Titans. He threw a 22-yard touchdown pass late in the first half to Sutton for a 10-6 Denver lead. He had an 18-yard completion to Franklin and a nifty 11-yard run. 

His last pass of the day came on a curious call from Payton. The Broncos were leading 20-12 with 1:05 left in the game and faced fourth-and-8 at the Titans 36. Payton elected not to punt or try a 54-yard field goal in favor of having Nix throw deep to Marvin Mims Jr. 

Nix overthrew the receiver. But at least he liked Payton having the confidence in him to make the play. 

“It’s not always my choice, sometimes you have to take the points, kick the field goal,’’ he said. “But I didn’t mind that we got another crack at it. Unfortunately, we missed it, but we were really close … to having an explosive play.” 

Thanks to their top-notch defense, the Broncos held for the win. And Hufanga, who had a team-high 10 tackles and forced a fumble, then showed up wearing the Nix T-shirt. 

“Obviously appreciate the shirt,’’ Nix said. “I know that was planned, I know he’s got my back, and obviously, me and the offense, we got his too. We’re just going to continue to play well together and just keep picking up each other, and I think it’ll do well as the season goes.”