Bo Nix soon followed a long trick play with an interception in the back of the end zone.

This is all part of the initial pains for the Denver Broncos rookie quarterback, who managed just two field goals in a 13-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

Nix threw two interceptions, was sacked twice and had trouble on the third attempt, so the team only converted two of 12.

However, his self-confidence is far from being shaken.

“If you play football long enough, it’s going to let you down over and over again,” said Nix, who was selected 12th overall in April. “It’s going to knock you down. It’s going to wear you down. The value of the sport is that it’s like life. Sometimes you just have to keep taking hits, and eventually you’ll figure it out, get back on your feet and keep going.”

Nix and the Broncos’ (0-2) performance took place under the watchful eye of Russell Wilson on the other sideline – in uniform, but only serving as an emergency QB due to a calf strain.

Wilson’s two-year stint in Denver ended with him sitting on the bench. The Broncos released him in March and he signed with Pittsburgh for the veteran minimum ($1.21 million).

With Wilson out, Justin Fields led the Steelers to their second consecutive victory through efficiency – and avoiding costly mistakes.

Nix is ​​still waiting for his first NFL touchdown pass after scoring a rushing score last weekend at Seattle. He now has four interceptions in two games after his late game-ending throw was intercepted by Pittsburgh’s Damontae Kazee. The NFL record for most interceptions by a rookie quarterback in a season is 28 by Peyton Manning in 1998 at Indianapolis.

Broncos coach Sean Payton believes Nix has the right mindset to overcome the initial setbacks.

“Listen, this guy went through that,” Payton said of Nix, 24. “It would be different if he hadn’t done that.”

One of the game’s defining plays came in the third quarter when Denver was trailing 10-0. The Broncos called a trick play when Javonte Williams took a direct snap and passed it to Courtland Sutton, who then pitched it to Nix. As the defense closed in, Nix threw a pass to Josh Reynolds, who took it 49 yards to the Pittsburgh 7-yard line.

But two plays later, Nix looked for Sutton in the end zone and instead threw a pass directly to Steelers cornerback Cory Trice Jr.

“That’s my responsibility,” said Nix. “I can’t allow that.”

When Nix was later asked to elaborate on the play, he simply replied, “I fell back and threw it to the other team.”

Last weekend in a 20-26 loss at Seattle, Nix completed 26 of 42 passes for 138 yards and two interceptions. Against Pittsburgh, he completed 20 of 35 passes for 246 yards.

Nix does not want to withdraw the attack tactics in the future.

“If you’re too easy, they’re just going to pick you apart,” Nix said. “So it’s a fine line. I was happy with the plan from the beginning. I think we just need to execute the plays better.”

He believes he has made progress in his second NFL game.

“Sometimes good steps don’t lead to wins,” Nix said. “It’s a long process. It’s a tough league for a reason and we just have to keep going as a team, as a group, and find ways to get better and develop.”