When a team starts a season on the road, the priority is to relieve the pressure on the quarterback, especially if he's a rookie. However, in the Denver Broncos' 26-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Bo Nix's 42 pass attempts did the opposite.
Sean Payton's quick shift of blame to the running game and offensive line and drops in the passing game overlook the primary issue of play-calling and play sequencing. This not only affects the Broncos' performance but also puts undue pressure on the rookie quarterback. It's a team effort, and supporting the rookie quarterback is crucial.
It's easy to blame the running game when you average 3.2 yards per carry on a given Sunday (taking away quarterback scrambles), but that lacks context. Analyzing designed runs and taking away quarterback scrambles, the Broncos rushed 13 times in the first half and seven times in the second.
Those 13 first-half carries went for 52 yards or 4.0 yards per attempt. That's an acceptable number, except the Broncos ran 40 plays in the first half.
There were 27 passing plays, with three quarterback scrambles and two sacks. The Broncos passed the ball twice as much as they ran it. Again, with a rookie quarterback on the road, you call 27 passing plays in the first 30 minutes of the game?
Blaming the lack of a running game ignores the context of Denver having seven rushes for 12 yards in the second half. The Broncos went away from the running game in the first half when it was doing well, even if it was inconsistent. When the Seahawks were going hard after the quarterback, Payton played into that hand by sticking with a passing game that wasn’t working.
It's worth noting that Nix is the third quarterback in NFL history to throw at least 42 times without breaking 138 yards. The other two quarterbacks were Jesse Palmer and 40-year-old Ben Roethlisberger.
This dubious historical distinction underscores the gravity of Payton's decision to vociferously defend Nix's performance. Alas, Nix's 3.3 yards per attempt is tied for the sixth-lowest since 1970 — a fact that cannot be overlooked.
What's more, the passing plays did Nix no favors. There were a lot of swings and bubbles that went nowhere.
They were a waste of the down, much like running the ball in the second half. There was a way for Denver to have a quick passing game to help ease the pressure on Nix’s shoulders, but Payton also dropped the ball there.
Payton has shifted the blame to everyone surrounding Nix, and while some of his post-game remarks suggest he's accepted accountability, they were all the common “coach-speak" answers after a badly disappointing loss.
Make no mistake; there's plenty of blame to go around. The Broncos' offensive line did have issues. The defense struggled in the second half.
The Broncos' receivers struggled to get open against the tight zone coverage, and the quarterback was all over the place as a passer. However, it starts with coaching and putting players in a better position to succeed. Payton failed to do that.
The Broncos offense was hamstrung with no explosive passing plays, as Nix went 2-of-12 on passes over 10 yards. Wideout Marvin Mims Jr. saw the field 12 times on offense, whom the Broncos traded up to draft in 2023 to add an explosive element.
According to Payton, getting Mims more snaps was part of why the Broncos traded Jerry Jeudy. That isn’t to say that trading Jeudy was a mistake, but not utilizing Mims' explosive potential is where Payton has been remiss.
Now, attacking deep isn’t a large part of Payton's offense, yet the Broncos traded up in back-to-back drafts to draft a deep-threat speed receiver. Neither Mims nor Troy Franklin (a healthy scratch) were utilized in a bad Seahawks loss where Denver badly missed their dynamic, explosive skill sets.
However, having a receiver on the field who can take the top off the defense is still part of Payton's offense, as it opens up the short and intermediate zones. The Broncos could’ve used that, especially against Seattle's tight zone coverage.
Bottom Line
This was a lousy game from the Broncos offense, and it starts with Payton. His decision-making, play-calling, play-sequencing, and player usage should be questioned, especially as he blames others without the much-needed context.
Hopefully, Payton will realize this and do better for the Broncos' home opener this coming Sunday vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.
