Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has been firm in his belief that the team’s primary focus is inwards each and every week. As the Broncos (4-3) prepare for Sunday’s home matchup against the Carolina Panthers (1-6), how might the team be preparing for their QB situation after Bryce Young was named as the starter this week after Andy Dalton’s injury, and how can rookie running back Audric Estime continue to develop despite his issues with ball security.
Denver Broncos HC Sean Payton addresses the team’s emphasis vs. Carolina Panthers
Wednesday’s practice was the first of the week as the Denver Broncos prepare for the visiting Carolina Panthers. During Wednesday’s practice, news broke out of Carolina that the Panthers would be starting Bryce Young on Sunday due to Andy Dalton suffering a sprained thumb in a motor vehicle accident on Tuesday.
Denver’s approach won’t change as they’ll keep both quarterbacks in mind from a gameplanning standpoint, an approach Payton has any time an opposing player appears on the injury. Despite Young’s start to the season, he’ll get the nod on Sunday.
“He has good vision, quick release,” Payton said. “He shows accuracy [and] poise. He’s played in big moments. In other words, I remember him coming out. He’s played in real big moments. I think that you flip the focus when you have a change in quarterbacks from like one to the other, and you study it the best you can.”
Rookie running back Audric Estime has shown some flashes this season when he touches the football despite a four-week stint on injured reserve. However, ball security issues have been a glaring issue for him early on. Payton shared his thoughts on how the coaching staff can continue to develop him and build confidence while emphasizing the importance of protecting the football.
“We’ve seen the ability and the skill set,” Payton said. “[RB] Javonte [Williams] has given him a present today where he’ll have a ball for a week whenever he goes. (Laughs) I think it happens to young backs a lot because at this level, the ability for players and the point of emphasis of taking the ball away, it steps up a lot. Historically speaking, it wasn’t really until the ’90s where Lovie Smith and there were a handful of coaches that began to value the takeaway maybe over not necessarily the proper tackle, but they understood. Then it quickly caught on to our league. In other words, the [former NFL CB] Peanut Tillmans, and you just saw what it did to a game. I think it’s coached every… We try to as best we can with these young players give them up-the-river medicine. In other words, before there’s a problem, but now he’s someone where if we’re scouting him, is someone who’s fumbled. Now it’s you kind of have to earn your way out of that, and he will.”
Estime’s continued to put his head down and work, and hope remains that the ball security aspect will take care of itself.