Sean Payton is set to take a larger role in Denver’s offensive play-calling in Week 5 after the Broncos’ sluggish start on that side of the ball, putting additional focus on quarterback Bo Nix and first-year coordinator Davis Webb.
Key takeaways
- Payton plans to be more heavily involved with offensive calls after four games.
- Denver has struggled to create explosive plays despite having won games early in the season.
- Nix has thrown for 819 yards with five touchdowns, three interceptions and an 80.4 passer rating.
- In the Week 4 loss to San Francisco, 29 of Nix’s 42 attempts traveled less than 10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage or were thrown behind it.
- Running back RJ Harvey caught 10 passes for 68 yards against the 49ers, adding 25 rushing yards on seven carries.
Payton seeks sharper execution
Denver’s offense has not produced at the level expected under Payton, whose first Broncos season was already a difficult one for a fan base that has voiced its displeasure even during victories this year. The head coach’s greater involvement could mean a reduced role in the game-day call sheet for Webb.
Payton said the Broncos’ emphasis entering the week is on improving the routine details that allow an offense to function efficiently.
“When an offense is performing well, everybody is handling the small things correctly, and that makes the quarterback’s job easier,” Payton said. “That is where our attention is this week. We have to be precise in those details, and the result will show it.”
The move could also give Nix more opportunities to operate outside the structure of the offense, an area where he has made plays during his NFL career. Through four games, however, Denver’s passing attack has largely operated with a low ceiling.
Nix looking to push Denver forward
Nix has completed 60 percent of his passes while posting a 5-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. His production has been respectable, but it projects below the standard Denver expects from an offense built around him.
The quarterback acknowledged that he has areas to improve but said the overriding priority remains putting the team in position to win.
“Everything starts with winning and doing what puts the team in the best possible situation,” Nix said. “There are certainly things I want to fix and improve. That progress will come with time.”
One concern has been Nix’s increasingly conservative approach. His average air yards per attempt in the 24-14 defeat to the 49ers was 4.6, and he repeatedly turned to short outlets rather than testing defenses downfield. He also has scrambled less frequently, limiting a running element that helped fuel his early success.
Nix said his reduced scrambling is tied to a stronger understanding of where his checkdown options are within the offense.
“I am seeing the field better, recognizing my outlets and getting to them more quickly,” Nix said. “That comes from knowing the system for three years. Would you rather have the ball in my hands or in RJ Harvey’s hands?”
Harvey did his part in the loss, setting a career high with 10 catches and leading Denver in targets by a sizable margin. But the Broncos’ reliance on their running back in the short passing game underscored an attack that has not consistently utilized its broader skill-position talent.
Payton’s expanded role in Week 5 will be closely watched. Denver does not need Nix to force throws into danger, but the Broncos will need more aggressive production if they are to move beyond a checkdown-heavy offense and recapture the playmaking spark they showed last season.
