Hasn’t Broncos Country seen enough of this sheet show? Sean Payton’s offense had 10 plays inside the Giants’ 10-yard line this past Sunday. Eight were passes.
Six of those plays inside the 10 took place before the Broncos eventually scored. The first five of those particular six were throws. Three of them fell incomplete, including one to Garett Bolles.
“I would say the one thing more concerning is us playing better in the earlier quarters, including (quarterback Bo Nix),” Payton told reporters during his weekly Monday morning conference call.
“I think that’s the key. It’s been encouraging that we’ve been able to finish some games, and yet I said this to you guys (Sunday): We’re going to play in bigger games. And we’re going to have to be a lot more efficient in the first half of games.”
Give Payton points for identifying the problem, which is more than his play sheet produced for Denver in the first half of a historic, frantic, schizophrenic 33-32 victory over a stunned bunch of New York Giants.
As of Monday afternoon, the Broncos had the record of a contender (5-2) and the metrics of a mess. Denver heads into a Week 8 tussle with Javonte Williams and the Dallas Cowboys tied for 22nd in the NFL in first-half points per game (10.3) and tied for 20th in second-quarter scoring (6.0 per tilt).
The Broncos trailed the G-Men 13-0 at the half and 19-0 after three quarters. Over its first eight drives, Denver totaled 180 yards. It went pass-pass-pass-punt twice.
Payton, the head coach, needs to bench Payton, the play-caller. Imagine how far and how fast this team could run if it didn’t spend the first 45 minutes of a game shooting its toes off for sport.
Eventually, the Broncos are going to run into teams with coaches who aren’t Brian Daboll (Giants), Aaron Glenn (Jets) and Brian Callahan (ex-Titans). Payton would sooner give up golf than give up his play-call sheet, that laminated road map to nowhere.
With 3:49 left in the first half this past Sunday, down 13-0, the Broncos faced second-and-goal from New York 2.
This is what happened next:
• A pass to Bolles, his left tackle. Incomplete.
• Sprint-out pass. Incomplete.
• WR screen. 1-yard gain. Turnover on downs.
I mean, what are we doing here? Payton’s offense is like a teething puppy. Cute as all heck. Until it bites you.
Why not give Davis Webb, the Broncos’ pass-game coordinator and QB coach, a series against the Cowboys? Or three? Don’t think of it as admitting failure, Sean. Think of it as an experiment, like those screens at the goal line.
And yes, the score at the end against the Giants is all that really counts. As far as the history books care, the Broncos got some of that Indianapolis karma back. New York’s defense and kicking game went to mush, Daboll Dabolled, Nix channeled his inner Elway, and everybody lived happily ever after. Once they’d finally removed the shoe they’d hurled into the middle of their TV screen, of course.
The largest fourth-quarter comeback in franchise history was the work of many cooks — Payton’s menu included. You don’t lead this AFC West after seven weeks with a nincompoop holding the play sheet.
But you also don’t land this bird in the AFC championship game with hands that stubborn at the controls. Nor does it make the obvious disconnect between the coach and his QB1 for three quarters any more comforting.
Payton scolded the scribes after Sunday’s win that he didn’t want to “hear about tempo.” Even though Nix looks far better, and far more dangerous, when he doesn’t have time to overthink.
“Started playing fast,” Nix told reporters. “Started clicking.”
And isn’t that the point? The play-calling isn’t just driving Broncos Country nuts anymore. Payton alumni, normally true believers, are waving warning flags on social media now.
While the Broncos spent three quarters raising blood pressures, former Denver QB Ben DiNucci, one of Peyton’s practice-squad signal-callers in 2023, went on X (aka Twitter) this past Sunday to write:
“Is it time for Davis Webb to call plays in Denver?”‘
Dude, it was time three weeks ago.
Webb, you’ll recall, called some plays in the preseason, and a funny thing happened:
The Earth kept spinning.
“I think you start with who,” Payton said Monday. “… There may be some guys (whose) playing time goes up, and some might begin to diminish. You look closely at the personnel, then you look at the scheme. And does it fit us?”
Don’t stop there, Sean. Look deeper. Go higher up.
Is it time to mix up the play-calling, the coach was asked during the call, even for a short period?
“No,” Payton replied. “I think we’re comfortable as an offensive staff of how we’re operating.”
Speak for yourself, coach. Because the way this offense is trending, it feels like only a matter of time before the Broncos are sheet outta luck.
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