The Denver Broncos are currently the NFL’s version of a diesel motor on a cold winter day. They bog down, barely turning over for what seems like an eternity. Evenutally, the motor begins to warm up and turn over, but it often takes plenty – if not too much – time. Bo Nix may very well be the future of the franchise at quarterback, but even his biggest advocates are clamoring for a performance that indicates he’s ready to be a true, NFL signal caller.
To point: Nix averages just 59 net passing yards in the first half this season. On Sunday against the Chargers, his passer rating at halftime was exactly 0.00. These are numbers that are anything but inspiring. Even at 3-3, the Broncos offense is – for the most part – unwatchable and in dire need of a respectable performance.
The Saints defense represents a great chance to “get right,” but still, something needs to change in order to get the O going.
Or, does it?
Sean Payton has demonstrated stubbornness, rigidity … or maybe just extreme patience. Regardless of what we call it, there’s no doubt that everyone in Broncos Country is in search of improvement on the offensive side of the ball, which, by the way, is Payton’s primary area of focus.
Will we see a better Bo in the Big Easy? Will Payton, the man who took the Saints to their greatest heights, show his Bourbon Street buddies he’s still got the magic touch? Will he do that voodoo that he do – or did – before he took over in Denver?
Here’s what our guys had to say leading into Thursday Night Football.
Cody Roark
I think any tweaks we can expect to see on the offense will come with personnel versus scheme. Before the season ends, I’ll say that Audric Estime, Devaughn Vele, and Troy Franklin have larger roles on offense. Denver’s offense is still crawling and they need to learn how to walk (or run) consistently between the tackles. Until the run game gets going, the offense will be one-sided, and it will make things more unfair for Bo Nix’s progression.
Shawn Drotar
I wouldn’t expect any change whatsoever. Sean Payton didn’t change his offense or play calls for Russell Wilson – a borderline Hall-of-Fame, 10-year vet with a Super Bowl ring – so why would he change it for Bo Nix? Nix may be his hand-picked quarterback, but Payton picked him specifically because he believed he could run Payton’s Saints playbook that worked so well with all-time great Drew Brees. In other words, in Payton’s mind, there’s no need to do anything differently; Nix will just have to catch up. The problem, of course, is that Nix isn’t Brees, and probably never will be. However, his ability to scramble is something that Brees didn’t possess, and if you’re a Broncos fan wondering why Payton won’t utilize that mobility by design, you’re not alone. Payton talks every week about being a run-first team, and then seems to forget about all of that on game day. The Broncos coach is who he is, and ownership should’ve known that when they hired him. Until proven otherwise, it’s best to assume that Payton’s stubbornness and ego is keeping him from making the alterations to his offense that the Broncos obviously, desperately need – both now, and in the future. That’s not what’s best for Nix, however… which means it’s not what’s best for the Broncos.
Mark Knudson
The Broncos offensive remains limited with Nix, so when Payton “scripts” his first dozen or so plays, it’s probably not all that tough for DC’s to figure out what’s coming out of the gate. Yes, the Saints aren’t good, but I would not expect Denver’s offense to roll early. They will however, figure out where they have advantages after they see the Saints D and probably end up with a good offensive output. Getting more out of the running game will help, and getting a couple guys back from injury as well. What Denver’s offense (hopefully) won’t see is a “prevent defense.” They’ll have to produce against the same schemes that have given them problems, but against a weaker opponent. This game comes at a great time for Nix and Co.
Dan Mohrmann
I said it jokingly the other day, but maybe the Broncos should switch to the Single Wing offense. Of course I’m kidding, but the reality is that Sean Payton relies too much on his stuff. If you take a deep dive into the Kyle Shanahans or Matt LaFleurs of the NFL, their offenses are rooted in the philosophy of Mike Shanahan, but they’ve been modernized to fit in today’s game, and likely, the personnel they’ve got. Sean Payton is using concepts that were successful for him in New Orleans 15 years ago with a hall of fame quarterback. Times have changed and Bo Nix is no Drew Brees. If he doesn’t start catering to his personnel, and for heaven’s sake start utilizing a tight end, the slow starts will continue all season long.
Rich Kurtzman
The Broncos have been extremely slow to start this year, trailing at some point in every first half they’ve played except one. That one game? The blowout win over the Buccaneers. Sean Payton did something different that game; he let Bo Nix throw deep on the first drive. That led to a quick touchdown and some of the team’s only explosive plays on offense to that point. Denver never looked back as the defense was propelled by the offense, too. Payton should open up the passing attack against one of the worst passing defenses in the NFL.