The Denver Broncos snagged a win against a beat-up, winless Los Angeles Chargers squad on Sunday, but let’s be real, Broncos Country, that 3-2 record feels a whole lot shakier than it looks. If it wasn’t for a downright ferocious fourth-quarter effort by the defense, this one would’ve been a straight-up loss to a hapless division rival. Sure, a win is a win, but the struggles on offense and quarterback Bo Nix are a huge, glaring cause for concern, and there’s no clear fix in sight.
Ugly Win, Ugly Numbers
This was one of those games where you just hold your breath. The Broncos offense barely moved the ball all game, scoring multiple times only because the defense kept handing them short fields off turnovers. That’s not a recipe for long-term success, folks. Bo Nix, the third-year signal caller, had another sluggish performance. He finished 16-of-27 for a measly 123 yards, 1 touchdown, and a lost fumble. And get this: the Broncos converted just one third down out of twelve attempts the entire game. They averaged a little over four yards per pass. You can’t beat the best teams in the league with numbers like that. This ain’t contender football.
Payton’s Plan: More Runs, More ‘Details’
After the game, Head Coach Sean Payton wasn’t sugarcoating things, even with the win. He talked about Nix’s performance and how they can collectively help him out. Payton pointed to Nix’s feet, saying he thinks the QB is “settling that down.” But then he got into the real talk, stressing how important it is “from a protection standpoint, that early in games we provide that clean pocket so that clock doesn’t get juiced up a little bit.” He said, “I think after four weeks there’s a handful of things that collectively , and you know, it starts with me , where it’s like, all right, let’s focus on these details. And I think the byproduct helps the quarterback.”
This game, Payton took over play-calling from Davis Webb, and the game plan shifted hard: they made running the football a priority. They toted the rock 29 times for 106 yards, which is still under four yards per carry, but it helped them control the pace and win the time of possession battle. Even with less burden on Nix’s shoulders, the aerial attack just didn’t get off the ground. There were missed plays downfield, and you could feel the meat left on the bone. Jaylen Waddle even looked visibly frustrated at one point. Payton summed it up, saying, “Obviously, the hardest thing to do in this league is play that position if you’re not rushing the ball.”
The Broncos are 3-2, and that’s a decent start on paper, but this kind of offensive output won’t cut it against real contenders. Payton knows it, and he’s putting the pressure on himself and the team to fix those “details.” Can they actually get Nix a clean pocket and consistent run game, or will these offensive struggles keep haunting them? It’s a huge question mark hanging over a team that’s winning, but definitely winning ugly.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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