DENVER – After what their rookie quarterback did to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday to keep the Denver Broncos in the AFC playoff race, some Broncos players said the team’s five-letter rookie quarterback might have a future with a coveted three-letter award.

Bo Nix, who was selected No. 12 overall by the Broncos in last April’s draft, had career bests in passing yards (307), touchdown passes (4) and completion percentage (84.8%) in the 38-6 demolition of the Falcons by the Broncos. at Empower Field at Mile High. The win moved the Broncos to 6-5 and keeps them in the AFC playoff race.

“He’s him,” said Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II. “I told him, ‘Man, you’re trying to win MVP, you don’t even look like Offensive Rookie of the Year right now, you look like MVP.’ Just a testament to him. He puts the work in.”

Nix, who had no touchdown passes and four interceptions through the first three games of the season, has thrown 13 touchdown passes in the past seven and nine in the past four. After ranking last among the league’s starters in completion percentage in the first month, he has played three games in the last four weeks at 73% or better.

He didn’t throw an interception on Sunday. It was his fourth game in the past five without a pick, and his seventh of the season.

All of this allowed the Broncos to bounce back from last week’s potentially crushing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, when the potential game-winning field goal was blocked on the final play.

“He’s definitely in his place — third down, red zone, there’s a lot of things he did really well on Sunday night,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “… It’s our competition; you learn every week, and soon you think, ‘I belong here.’ And it’s clear he belongs here.”

The win also completed the Broncos’ run through the NFC South. Four of Denver’s six wins this year have come against the crossover division by a combined score of 125-37 over Tampa Bay, Carolina, New Orleans and Atlanta.

The rookie’s two highest passing totals of the season — 284 yards against the Panthers and his 300-plus games this week — have come against NFC South teams.

“Those games are a lot of fun,” Nix said. “That’s what you work for, they’re the reason you play the game, examples like that. I thought everyone had a great day. … I think everyone at this level can feel like they belong. … Every week Like Coach said, I find ways to get better.”

The Broncos now have to focus on AFC business, and AFC West business in particular, in the coming weeks to stay in the playoff chase. Denver entered and exited Sunday as the No. 7 seed in the AFC race.

As Nix continues to gain comfort in the offense and Payton figures out which parts of the playbook make the most sense for the rookie, the Broncos face the final stretch with six AFC games remaining on the schedule. That list includes Indianapolis and Cincinnati — two teams currently right behind them in the AFC’s playoff pile — with three division games remaining: next Sunday at the Raiders, on Dec. 22 at the Chargers and against the Chiefs in the regular season finale.

“You feel like you’re in good hands,” Payton said of Nix. “He’s smart with the football. He has the ability to create and protect the football at the same time.”

“Our team is going in the right direction,” Nix said, “and we just have to keep finding ways to play the way we did (Sunday). Sometimes you wake up and you’re ready to roll. It’s a blessing to in my place, in my shoes.”