For now, the Davis Webb-play-calling era in Denver lasted just four games, as the Broncos are making the switch back to head coach Sean Payton, who once had play-calling taken away from him as a young coach over 20 years ago.
The Broncos are 2-2 through four games and have played an insanely tough defensive schedule thus far, but I guess that doesn't matter too much for Payton, who, as he has done for the overwhelming majority of his career, will call the plays and be in Bo Nix's ear in Week 5 and likely beyond.
Payton didn't seem to want to give Webb the benefit of the doubt, given how tough the schedule has been, and when you look at who the Broncos have coming up, it's pretty clear that Payton made this move at a very deliberate time.
Denver Broncos' HC Sean Payton may have made a very calculated move to take play-calling duties back
The Broncos opened up the season against the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers. Each team sports the following scoring defense:
-6th
-2nd
-9th
-3rd
So, yeah, it was a tough stretch for Webb and the Broncos. The next five games before the team's bye currently feature the following scoring defense rankings:
-24th
-5th
-29th
-6th
-27th
Denver faced four top-10 scoring defenses in their first round games, but face just two over the nest five games, and also get the pleasure of facing three bottom-10 scoring defenses. Why would Payton not let Webb continue to call plays with the opposing defenses getting weaker...?
That is likely a different debate for a different time, but it's clear that Payton knows the defenses coming up on the team's schedule are just flat-out bad outside of Seattle and Kansas City. Of course, this should mean that the Broncos actually put up some points and look like a competent offense.
And the fallout from that, specifically from the media, would be just how right Payton was to take play-calling duties back and how he's still among the best in the NFL at this, and, suddenly, all is well in Broncos Country.
Either way, I am not sure it matters too much who is calling the plays, as whether it's Webb or Payton, it's the same playbook. The Broncos do need to start winning more football games, and their next five games before the bye week do give them a great opportunity to get to, let's say, a 6-3 record at the break.
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