Questions have been continuously being bombarded at the head coach, Sean Payton, about the Denver Broncos‘ offense and the play calling of the offensive coordinator, Davis Webb. Amid going 2-2 in the league with Week 5 hovering over their heads, former Bronco and now radio host Brandon Stokley reported an interesting development.
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“I’m hearing that Sean Payton is going to be taking over play calling this week. Should be an interesting week,” Stokley wrote on X.
According to The Sporting News, Payton had never voluntarily given up offensive play-calling until he did so to Davis Webb in 2026. It hasn’t been a smooth-sailing experience for Webb, who has taken on the responsibility for the first time in a season in his career.
The Broncos lost 24-14 in Week 4 to the San Francisco 49ers, with their lone touchdown and second field goal coming in the final quarter. This offense doesn’t seem to have the explosiveness it did last year when Payton called plays.
The Broncos have scored only 13 points in total in the first half of the four games they have played. Not only that, but the team has marked the lowest overall explosive play rate of 9.6 percent since Payton was hired in 2023, according to TruMedia.
Moreover, they have produced the fewest explosive rushes (six, with an explosive rush defined as 12 or more yards gained) in their first four games since 2019.
The Denver Broncos have only scored 74 points in four games, sitting among the bottom 10 scoring offenses in the league. That is the result of a recurring pattern of slow starts (three-and-outs in the opening drive have become normal for the Broncos now), penalties, and a slow run game.
The Broncos have totaled only 325 rushing yards per game, the fourth-least in the league so far.
All of this happened under the supervision of a play-caller who had a “gift,” according to Payton.
After the Week 4 loss, the head coach was asked about making changes in the play-calling area.
“It’s too early — it’s a fair question; I appreciate it. And, man, it’s tough to discuss any of that right now,” Payton answered. “We’ve had some opportunities, but there are a handful of things that aren’t clicking, and we gotta figure it out fast, because we’re going into Week 5.”
Bo Nix backed Davis Webb after tough 2-2 stretch
While Payton has shown the urgency to improve the offense, the Broncos’ stars have been aware of that as well. First of them was the star quarterback, Bo Nix, who took accountability after a low performance, completing 25 of 42 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown, noting that there are “several things” he wants to change and improve. Nix also backed up Webb amid a swirl of criticism drawn towards him by the reporters.
“Yeah, I’m real confident in him,” Nix said. “I think when you look at the overall landscape, we’ve played four of the top teams in the league, and (it’s) not easy for a first-time OC as young as he is to go against some of the, quite frankly, the best teams in the league.”
Webb was previously the quarterbacks coach for the Broncos; Nix might probably have a better relationship with him than other members in the offense. However, everyone in the franchise is antsy for another win.
“As a collective, we have to find a way to maximize the opportunities when they do pop up and minimize … the lack of attention to detail that may transpire over the course of a full game,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said.
The Broncos are set to play the Los Angeles Chargers next. The Chargers enter the matchup winless, also due to a struggling offense. This one will be a defining one for both sides.