Payton Expands Broncos Playcalling Role vs Chargers — SkimNews
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- Sean Payton will expand his role in a more collaborative playcalling approach for Sunday's game against the Chargers, with first-year OC Davis Webb still on the headset as the voice quarterback Bo Nix hears before each play.
- Payton surrendered playcalling duties to Webb during the offseason but has remained a large presence in game-planning and offensive meetings throughout the first four games.
- The Broncos (2-2) rank 27th in scoring, 27th in total yards per game, 29th in rushing yards, 20th in passing yards, 23rd in QBR, and 22nd in Offensive EPA at -7.48, per ESPN and NFL Network reporting.
- Bo Nix is 22nd in QBR at 46.1 and 27th in average air yards per attempt at 5.9; the Broncos sit 29th in plays of 20-plus yards and 30th in explosive plays with 16 on the season.
- 27.5% of Broncos possessions have ended in three-and-outs, with only six teams posting more quick punts this season.
- Payton attributed the struggles to "the details, the little things" rather than a substantial scheme shift, and acknowledged after four games "this isn't championship football" while pointing to run-game inconsistency and difficult down-and-distance situations.
Why it matters: After just four games — bottom-five rankings in scoring (27th), rushing (29th), and total yards (27th) — Payton is reclaiming play-calling influence from a first-year coordinator, signaling the Broncos' patience for the Webb experiment has a short runway. The Chargers (0-4) matchup becomes a direct test of whether more Payton involvement can lift an offense that has converted 27.5% of drives into quick punts.
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