The whispers are confirmed, and it’s a huge shift in the Mile High City: Denver Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton will be more heavily involved in the offensive play-calling this week against the Chargers. This isn’t some tiny tweak, folks, it’s a full-on move by the boss.
Payton Steps Up After Weeks of Talk
This isn’t just some fan theory; the smoke started swirling last night when former Broncos receiver and now radio personality Brandon Stokley tweeted he was hearing Payton was taking over. Then, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio jumped in this morning, backing up the reports. Now, NFL Network big dogs Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo have officially confirmed it. Payton is stepping up, period. They say it’ll still be collaborative, with Offensive Coordinator Davis Webb still having a major voice on game days and during the week. But let’s be real, Payton’s gonna have a larger say in the process. You don’t make a move like this to be a backseat driver.
Why This Experiment Couldn’t Keep Going
You know what though? This move had to happen. Payton himself, when asked on Wednesday if a four-game sample size was enough to evaluate a play-caller, sidestepped it by saying, “our focus needs to be more on the specifics and the detail of each play regardless.” But he also dropped a truth bomb: “certainly this isn’t championship football.” When your head coach says that, you know things are rough. He’s looking at the “why’s” and how fast they can fix things after a “four-game sample size.”
And let’s face it, the “why” is that this offense has been an absolute mess. It’s like every part of the offense took a step back from last season. Nix hasn’t been the guy we saw against the Bills last year, looking totally inconsistent. The run game? Nonexistent again, which is brutal. And what’s going on with JK Dobbins? Is he hurt? Or is he washed? Either way, he’s not getting it done. Remember when Courtland Sutton was a 1,000-yard receiver with nearly 10 touchdowns? Through four games, he’s got 9 catches for 86 yards and zero scores. Zero! And Jaylen Waddle, who was supposed to transform things? Outside of one game against the Jaguars, he’s been an afterthought in the offense. This Davis Webb play-calling experiment just couldn’t keep going much longer.
So, here we are. Payton’s taking the reins. They’re up against the Chargers next, and honestly, the stakes couldn’t be higher. This isn’t just about winning one game; it’s about whether this Broncos offense can find its identity and prove they’re not just “non-championship football.” Can Payton inject life into this unit? Denver fans are holding their breath, waiting to see if this is the spark they desperately need.
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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