Sean Payton had a clear message after Denver’s win over Jacksonville: the Broncos got better when the game tightened up, and Davis Webb deserved credit for helping steady things after a rough opener.
“There were a lot of things we all didn’t do well (in Week 1), starting with me, defensively, all of that, ” Payton said, via Broncos Wire. “ So it’s tough to go back to work, tough for Davis [Webb].
He responded the right way, the meetings, how he handled the schedule, and then the first half and all of that. You keep grinding at it.
Things really picked up in the second half, and that was important. We wanted to play this game a certain way.
I’m pleased that we were able to play that game, especially in the second half. We played it that way defensively in the first half.
We had opportunities, and we came away with just one field goal. The second half was much better.
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In Los Angeles, the mood is a lot harsher after the Chargers slipped to 0-2, but Jim Harbaugh says nobody in the building is backing away from the work ahead.
“I’m not deterred. We’ll look at the tape.
We’ll go back to work. That’s all I know how to do,” Harbaugh told ESPN.
“No one in that locker room is deterred.”
Safety Derwin James was just as blunt about where things stand.
“We got to look each other in the eye, man, and just tell the truth, and just get better,” James said. “Because right now, that s- just looks trash. I’m angry, but being angry doesn’t fix anything.”
In Kansas City, Kenneth Walker has wasted no time becoming the engine of the offense. Through two games with the Chiefs, he leads the league in touches and yards from scrimmage, and Andy Reid says the workload isn’t a problem for Walker himself.
Reid said Walker is not pushing for fewer snaps, but the Chiefs expect rookie Emmett Johnson’s role to grow as the season goes on.
“Well, I think the way I look at it is … that’s part of the equation, but the other part is allowing Emmett to grow,” Reid said, via Pro Football Talk. “And so, I think Emmett will continue to get more snaps and then it’ll take a little bit of load, off Kenny, but he wants that ball. He wants a ball every play, Ken does, and he’s not asking to be relieved or anything else.”
In Other News...
Broncos Get Their Biggest Early Test Yet In Prime Time
Bo Nix and the Broncos are getting an early chance to measure themselves under the brightest lights, with a Week 3 Sunday Night Football matchup at home against Matthew Stafford and the Rams. It is the kind of September test that can tell you a lot without telling you everything, especially with both teams still sorting out their identities after an uneven start. Denver and Los Angeles each dropped their opener before bouncing back in Week 2, and now the Broncos get to see where they stand against a veteran quarterback and a team widely expected to have the edge.
The Rams come in favored, which only raises the stakes for Denver as it tries to build on the positives from its second game and protect itself from the kind of mistakes that can tilt a prime-time showcase quickly. Injury status, individual performance and the betting line all add to the anticipation, but the bigger question is simple: can the Broncos turn an early-season home spotlight into a statement, or will this be the first clear reminder of how far they still have to go? [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Backfield Suddenly Has A New Concern Before Rams Game
The Broncos backfield has picked up some extra attention heading into their matchup with the Rams, with rookie running back Jonah Coleman dealing with a sprained ankle suffered in the Week 2 game against Jacksonville. Sean Payton said Coleman played well even while working through the injury, a small reminder of how quickly the depth chart can get tested in a physical early-season stretch.
RJ Harvey is also still being managed as he works his way back, while J.K. Dobbins is expected to practice this week. For Denver, the issue now is less about one injury than the accumulation of them, and how much flexibility the offense will have if the group is still sorting itself out by game day. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Win Put Two New Offensive Answers In Focus
The Broncos win over Jacksonville offered a first real glimpse of how quickly the offense can change around two new pieces, with receiver Jaylen Waddle and rookie running back Jonah Coleman both giving the game a different feel. Waddle was especially hard to miss, piling up eight catches for 138 yards in a home debut that stood out even by franchise standards, while Jonah Coleman added another layer to an attack that needed fresh answers.
Sean Payton came away calling the victory significant, and it was easy to see why. For a team still sorting out its identity on that side of the ball, Waddles production and approach gave Denver something concrete to build on, while Colemans presence hinted at a run game with more life than it had shown earlier in the year. [Read more 🡒]