The Denver Broncos earned their first Week 1 win of the Sean Payton era, but it was far from perfect.
If nothing else, Denver avoided what would have been a trap game against the Tennessee Titans. Now that the first win of the season is out of the way, Denver looks to start 2-0 with a win against the Indianapolis Colts, a team that blew out the Miami Dolphins in Week 1.
One of the primary issues with Denver's offense in Week 1 was simply not establishing the run early on. Bo Nix had over 20 passing attempts in the first half alone, and that just isn't a formula for success in today's NFL. Fortunately, though, Sean Payton clearly recognizes what he's got to do in Week 2 and beyond.
Sean Payton clearly wants to get the run game going from now on
Sean Payton offered an encouraging statement after the Broncos' sloppy win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1 regarding the run game:
“I have to be better there, and it’s one of those day afters (Monday) where you look back and say, ‘All right, let’s look at how we really wanted to start this game,’ and get those two runners going because we think we’ve really improved in that area,’’’ said head coach Sean Payton, whose Broncos next play Sunday at Indianapolis, coming off a 33-8 rout of Miami at home in Week 1
So, there we go. Sean Payton pretty openly says that he'd like to get the run game going a lot sooner, and he is right in that they have improved in this area. In the second half, we saw a 50-yard run from RJ Harvey and a slick touchdown run from JK Dobbins.
Both players are significantly better than who Denver had over the past few seasons, and as time goes on, the RB unit could turn into a strength. The Broncos have to come out in Week 2 and make a statement with the run game.
This would also help them flip the time of possession into their favor, and that's a crucial aspect of being able to win away from home.