The Broncos’ offense is at the center of the conversation again, and Sean Payton isn’t shutting the door on a change.
After Denver’s 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon, Payton was asked directly about the play-calling setup with offensive coordinator Davis Webb. Through four games, Payton has not been the one calling offensive plays, and the way he answered left the door open.
“It’s too early to… it’s a fair question. I appreciate it. And, man, it’s tough to discuss any of that right now,” Sean Payton said.
That response came after another rough showing for an offense that continues to sputter early in games. The Broncos put up only six points over the first 55 minutes and have totaled just 13 first-half points through four games. That’s a brutal number, and it has put Webb’s early tenure under the microscope.
Payton did spend part of his postgame remarks pointing to the defense, which kept Denver alive for much of the afternoon.
“I told those guys, we’ve played some tough teams, and this was another good football team. There were a lot of things we did well defensively for a good portion of the game,” Payton said.
But when the question turned back to the offense, Payton made clear that nothing is being taken off the table.
“To your original question, each game we look at everything and that’s kind of how we’ll approach this one,” Sean Payton said.
The Broncos’ head coach is expected to speak with the media again Monday morning, and the play-calling issue figures to come right back up. Payton said the team has chances, but the pieces aren’t coming together fast enough.
“We’ve had some opportunities, but there are a handful of things that aren’t clicking. And we gotta figure it out fast, because we’re going into Week 5,” Payton said.
Denver sits at 2-2 and heads next to face the 0-4 Chargers, a team with talent but a record that has fallen far short of expectations. For the Broncos, the bigger question is whether the offense can finally get moving - and whether Payton or Webb will be the one steering it.
In Other News...
Broncos Finally Get A Chance To Fix Whats Holding This Offense Back
The Broncos have spent the early part of the season fighting for answers on offense, and now they get a chance to make some progress against a Chargers team dealing with plenty of its own problems. Los Angeles is still looking for its first win, and the issues around Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniels system have made that side of the matchup far from clean. For Denver, it is the kind of opponent that can either provide a reset or expose how much work still remains.
After a stretch against stronger competition, the Broncos should see this as an opportunity to finally settle some of the things that have held the offense back. But a winless team can be a dangerous one if it is treated like a soft landing spot, especially in the AFC West where little margin exists for careless football. Denver does not just need the result, it needs proof that the offense can take advantage when the matchup is there. [Read more 🡒]
Marvin Mims' Costly Mistake Has Broncos Fans Asking About Accountability
Marvin Mims spent the aftermath of a rough outing doing what players are supposed to do after a mistake, even if the admission was uncomfortable. The Broncos wide receiver said he did not go back and review the film on the play where he fumbled, and he went so far as to call it possibly his worst NFL game. For a Denver offense still trying to find cleaner execution, the moment landed as another reminder of how thin the margin can be when a key touch turns into a turnover.
The larger conversation around accountability did not stop with Mims, either. Former Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw took aim at Sean Payton after the game, and Payton did not push back in his postgame availability, instead responding positively to Greenlaws comments. Meanwhile, across the division, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak was already talking about changing the approach around Ashton Jeanty and Mike Washington, a sign that coaches on both sidelines are feeling the pressure to fix problems before they harden. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos May Need One Eagles Move Before The Trade Market Shifts
Philadelphias roster has already started to look different in the wake of the Cam Jurgens trade, and that kind of movement can reshape the market before the rest of the league catches up. The Eagles are dealing with a changing front as well, with Lane Johnson retired and the club sitting at 2-2, which makes any evaluation of their veteran talent more interesting for teams watching for an opening.
From Denvers side, the name worth tracking is Zack Baun, the inside linebacker who has recently earned both Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro recognition. His contract is considered movable, and if the Eagles decide to keep adjusting their roster, the Broncos could make sense as a team ready to act before trade talks around the league shift into a more crowded market. [Read more 🡒]