The Denver Broncos struggled offensively in the first week of the season, both with efficiency and imbalance with the run and pass, especially early on.
It wasn't a great debut from the Denver offense, and the two people most responsible for that -- at the end of the day -- are always going to be quarterback Bo Nix and head coach Sean Payton, who calls the plays into Nix. And after he had a chance to go through the early week debrief, Payton fell on the sword for his part in the offensive struggles.
He realizes he can be better, and has to be going forward.
Sean Payton takes blame for play-calling after Broncos offensive struggles
"I don’t know how many games I’ve called, but that’s one of them where I came away from it like, ‘I have to be a lot better.’ It was one of those games, especially early."
- HC Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)
Broncos fans were frustrated with Payton's play-calling during the game. The Broncos had called 14 passes compared to just three runs in the early goings of the game, putting the ball in Bo Nix's hands and really trying to attack the Titans vertically down the field.
Of course, if the Broncos were running the ball with no success and not trying to push the ball down the field, fans would complain about that, too. But I digress.
It's important for the Broncos to have balance offensively, and it's crucial for them to win the line of scrimmage and establish their ground game right away. Defenses are going to be able to sit back in zone coverage and do what the Titans did, attacking the ball in the air and almost baiting Bo Nix on some of those downfield throws.
The Broncos not only need to run the ball more with their running backs, but get Bo Nix going more with his legs as well. He is such an asset with his athleticism and all of those things can help open up the pass. We know Nix can make great throws on the run. We know he's capable of pushing the ball downfield.
And as Nix himself pointed out, pushing the ball downfield is part of what makes great quarterbacks great in today's NFL. But he also knows there's a fine line and you have to take more calculated risks.
It's also worth noting that on Nix's first interception of the day, the Titans' defensive back was able to come back to the ball because Marvin Mims was jogging and not sprinting downfield, selling like he was possibly going to get the ball.
Not that Payton and Nix should be absolved of their mistakes in Week 1, but a dropped screen pass by Tyler Badie and the lack of effort on Nix's first interception by Mims loomed large in this one. Play-calling is always going to come into question when guys are making mistakes in the execution department. But it was apparently some great self-reflection for Payton and it's going to be fascinating to see how he changes things up in the team's Week 2 matchup against the Colts.