Solution to Broncos early offensive struggles is staring them right in the face

When it comes to the Denver Broncos' offense and what they can do to unlock their offensive struggles, the issues they are facing are pretty much an exact replica of last year.

With a new sample size this season, that method or utilization of an offense still remains the same in 2025.

With the Week 4 game on Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals approaching, it's time for Sean Payton to get this offense more under center and utilize play-action more than they have been doing.

The Broncos Rank 15th in the League in Under Center Play-Action Pass Attempts

It's been a constant theme throughout the years that the best offenses are under center and keeping the defenses honest with the play-action passes.

Excluding the Thursday Night Football game that was just played (despite neither team being ranked that high), the numbers are eye-popping for the top-ranked offenses that have the most under-center play-action pass attempts three games into the season.

What stands out from this statistic is that the top two teams in this category are arguably the top two offenses in the league. The Rams are number one with 36 under-center play-action passing attempts, and the Lions are second with 30.

No surprise that Sean McVay leads this stat and is always talked about as the best offensive coach in the league. Despite losing Ben Johnson, the Lions have stuck to their identity and what has made them great in the past.

Rounding out the top six are great play-callers and upcoming offenses that are on the rise. Liam Coen has the Jaguars at three with 22, then Ben Johnson and Kyle Shanahan have their teams tied for fourth at 21 attempts.

Denver's offense, which has been struggling to find an identity and establish a rhythm, ranks 15th in the league in this crucial statistic.

As you can see above, the Broncos are behind great offenses that have utilized this more than they have. There are numerous benefits to getting the quarterback under center and utilizing play-action passes to open up the offense.

When someone like Bo Nix lines up under center, play action sells like no other (especially with how great the run game has been). The fake handoff looks identical to a real run, forcing linebackers and safeties to hesitate. In shotgun, defenders can diagnose quicker, making play-action less convincing.

The Broncos’ ground attack has the pieces to be effective, but shotgun limits the types of runs you can call. From under center, Payton can open up the outside zone they've been trying to implement, power, counter, toss, and traps, to keep defenses guessing. Instead of telegraphing inside zone from shotgun, Denver could use under-center formations to attack the edges and control the pace of the game.

Under center, a quarterback’s footwork ties directly into route concepts. Three-step, five-step, and seven-step drops sync perfectly with quick outs, digs, and deep routes. This creates a natural rhythm that can get Nix in sync with his receivers.

Under center forces both levels of the defense to stay honest. They either have to play the run or risk giving up chunk plays through the air.

Play action under center also benefits the offensive line. Pass rushers can’t just tee off when they have to respect the possibility of a run. That extra hesitation buys Nix more time to take shots downfield, something this offense desperately needs to create explosive plays. Those windows are more open, and it'll allow receivers like Marvin Mims Jr and others to pop off.

Sean Payton’s most successful offenses in New Orleans leaned heavily on under-center play action. Even with a smaller quarterback like Drew Brees, Payton consistently employed this approach to create balance, disguise, and generate explosive plays. With Nix at the helm, Denver has the chance to replicate that formula, but only if it commits to incorporating more under-center looks and utilizing play-action off of them.