Calls for Sean Payton to make a change on offense are only getting louder in Denver, and now ESPN’s Ben Solak is floating a timeline that would put Davis Webb’s play-calling role under immediate pressure.
After the Broncos’ 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers dropped them to 2-2, some fans started pushing Payton to take over the offensive headset himself. That debate has only intensified with Denver heading into a Week 5 road game against the winless Los Angeles Chargers, a team that could be another loss away from a shake-up of its own with first-year offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
Solak, writing Tuesday, suggested Payton could make the move as soon as the Broncos return home in Week 6 to face the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 15.
"The Broncos have a key matchup with the 0-4 Chargers this Sunday -- another offensive stinker, and I could see coach Sean Payton switching up the headset on a short week before facing the Seahawks on Thursday night in Week 6," Solak wrote. "Seems like a smart way to get the drop on an elite unit."
Payton is in unfamiliar territory here. This is the first time in his head-coaching career that he has handed off offensive play-calling duties to a coordinator, and so far the setup has not produced the kind of results Denver wanted.
Through four games, the Broncos rank 27th in the league in total offense at 280.3 yards per game and 27th in scoring at 18.5 points per game, according to ESPN stats. Even with those numbers hanging over them, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Denver as a 3.5-point road favorite over the Chargers as of Tuesday afternoon.
Solak’s warning wasn’t just about Denver’s offense, either. He pointed to what Justin Herbert did in the second half of the Chargers’ 30-23 loss in Seattle last Sunday, noting that Herbert finished that stretch 14-of-17 for 159 yards and a touchdown. That showing, Solak argued, could be a sign that Los Angeles is starting to find something on offense.
"Los Angeles finally looked respectable on offense in the second half against Seattle (do not ask me about the first half)," Solak added. "Without two more backbreaking Justin Herbert interceptions, the Chargers would have had a totally acceptable day moving the football (despite three injuries on the offensive line).
You can feel the running game starting to churn, and the defense also has elevated its play over the past two weeks. This week, they are home against a struggling Broncos offense.
Keep an eye out."
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