Broncos' Sean Payton “loved” QB Bo Nix's heated reaction on the sideline

Ferris Bueller may not have a day off, but he's not feeling bad either.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton reiterated Monday what was clear from Sunday's 34-18 win over Las Vegas: the heated exchange he and rookie quarterback Bo Nix had on the sideline against Troy Franklin after an incomplete third down , is rooted in respect.

In fact, Payton said Monday that he likes the fact that his 24-year-old is willing to bark back.

The quick reset: Nix threw a deep ball down the left sideline for Franklin, a fellow rookie and former Oregon teammate, and Franklin dropped it. Nix says he overturned the pass, but he was visibly upset after the play and Payton stopped him on the way off the field to tell him he messed up too by flipping the play from the original direction .

Sparks flew from there.

Payton doesn't mind though. In fact, when asked if he liked Nix's willingness to fight back, the coach was quick to respond: “Absolutely. Absolutely.”

“It's all ok. It’s the heat of the moment, it’s the game, it’s competitive, he’s fiery,” Payton continued. “Look, we are passionate about business. We are looking for passion and we are looking for people with passion for the game. Other things don't.

“It’s so important to him. I liked his reaction here too, and now we're onto the next piece. It's nothing.”

What followed was, of course, something. Nix led touchdown drives on the Broncos' next two possessions early in the fourth quarter and was responsible for a total of three points in the second half.

“He played well,” Payton said. “Kept his feet, made his progress and threw the ball well. Made it on the field, made the throws from below and nailed the two-minute win again. This has happened a few times now and we were able to score a few points at the end of the half.

“Had good control of what we were doing. I was satisfied.”

Nix became increasingly heated as the game progressed. He had 60 of his 105 first-half yards rushing in the final four minutes of the first half – first a drive that brought the Broncos out of the shadow of their own goal line, and then a quick two-minute drive that set up a Wil Lutz field goal for one 13:10 lead at halftime.