Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton just took back play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Davis Webb, a move made after only four games into the season. Payton handed Webb the reins this offseason, but clearly, he didn’t like what he saw, making a swift change to try and fix an offense that’s limping out of the gate.
Webb’s Demotion: “Not Ideal” But That’s the League
When reporters asked Webb if four games was enough time to judge his play-calling, his answer was straight up: “Luckily that’s not my job, that’s [Payton’s] job,” he said, per ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “I think he answered that. I think the world of him, how we’ve gone about it … it’s not ideal, but in the same breath, we’re 2-2 in the first four games, our first four opponents were a combined 13-3 to start the season. Welcome to the league.” You can tell he’s not thrilled, and who would be? “Any time it happens in any aspect of your life jobwise [there’s disappointment], but in the same breath that’s the NFL, you get going,” Webb added. He’s been through it, having been a backup QB and seeing the ups and downs. Still, getting bumped after just four games? That’s a gut punch, no matter how you spin it.
Broncos Offense Is Barely Treading Water
Look, it’s true the Broncos faced a brutal opening schedule. They went up against the 4-0 Kansas City Chiefs, the 3-1 Jacksonville Jaguars, the 2-2 Los Angeles Rams, and the 4-0 San Francisco 49ers. Three of those teams, the Rams, 49ers, and Chiefs, are second, third, and eighth in fewest yards allowed per play. Even Jacksonville, who is 29th in yards allowed, has only given up a league-best 13.3 points per game. That’s a gauntlet. But the numbers for Denver’s offense are just rough, no matter how you slice it. They’re 27th in scoring and 25th in yards per play. They’ve been slow starters all season, scraping together just 13 points over four first halves, compared to a much better 61 points in the second halves. Quarterback Bo Nix is struggling, too, with 5.8 adjusted yards per attempt, a drop from 6.4 in 2025, and only 204.8 yards per game, down from 231.2 last year. The run game isn’t helping either, combining for only 3.6 yards per carry, a significant dip from 4.4. The 2-2 record is them just treading water, and Payton clearly thinks drastic action is needed now to keep them from sinking.
Can Payton’s direct control light a fire under this Denver offense? We’ll see how quickly that switch affects things when the Broncos hit the road this Sunday. They’re visiting the winless Los Angeles Chargers at 4:05 p.m. ET. If the offense can’t get going against a team still looking for its first win, then Denver’s problems run a lot deeper than just who’s calling the plays. As for Webb, at only 31, he’s risen fast from backup QB to OC, so his coaching future probably is still bright, despite this setback.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply