Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton did not frame the offense’s recent issues as a question of quarterback confidence after Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers. He said the entire operation must improve before Denver hosts the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night.
Payton’s assessment put the focus on execution around quarterback Bo Nix, rather than assigning the problems to one player. “There’s a ton of things we’re not doing well right now,” Payton said, pointing to an offense that has struggled to create consistent gains even while the Broncos improved to 3-2.
Locked On Broncos co-host Sayre Bedinger used one passing play against the Chargers to illustrate the problem. Center Luke Wattenberg’s errant snap disrupted the start of the play, left tackle Garett Bolles lost a matchup to Los Angeles pass rusher Akeem Mesidor, and Nix then stepped into pressure before fumbling. Bedinger’s point was not to absolve Nix, but to show how multiple breakdowns can erase a play before the quarterback has a viable answer.
Locked On Broncos co-host Cody Roark added that the All-22 view showed issues in protection, route execution, quarterback play and the Chargers’ coverage plan. He argued Denver needs to simplify its operation, run the ball more effectively and avoid turning early downs into long-developing passing situations.
The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks present an especially demanding test for that cleanup. Mike Macdonald’s defense can pressure with its front or add rushers from the secondary, while defensive tackles Byron Murphy II, Leonard Williams and Jarran Reed give Seattle a formidable interior matchup against Denver’s line. Roark and Bedinger expect the Seahawks to test the Broncos inside until the offense proves it can handle the communication and physicality.
Denver’s response starts with a cleaner operation: dependable snaps, decisive protection calls, a functional run game and quicker throws that keep Seattle from dictating passing downs.
A win would send Denver into its Week 7 road game against the Arizona Cardinals at 4-2, but Payton’s offense must first show that its execution can match the standard he set after the Chargers game.
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