Sean Payton takes blame for Broncos offensive woes against Jets
Oct 8, 2023, 5:48 PM | Updated: Oct 9, 2023, 2:42 pm
It was another frustrating Sunday for the Denver Broncos and head coach Sean Payton at Empower Field at Mile High.
The Broncos had a 13-8 halftime lead, but a brutal final two quarters doomed them in a 31-21 loss to the Jets. They’ve now lost at home this year to Las Vegas, Washington and New York.
And the second half for the Broncos was some of the worst offensive football you will ever watch.
In the first five drives, they lost net-yardage in four of them, and gained just four yards on the other. They punted four times and fumbled on a brutal trick play. Denver got their first first-down of the half midway through the fourth quarter.
They did score a touchdown, but with a chance to tie things at 24 in the final moments, QB Russell Wilson fumbled the football and the Jets picked it up for a scoop and score. The Broncos are now 1-4 on the season.
After the game, Payton lamented the horrendous offensive performance as the game slipped away — and pointed the finger at himself.
“The part that I’m frustrated with myself is that we became one-dimensional and I know better. So, I have to be more patient relative to how we run the ball. And it was that type of game,” Payton said.
The Broncos ran the ball with their running backs just 15 times, while Wilson attempted 30 passes. Jaleel McLaughlin averaged 7.6 yards per carry, but only had nine rushing attempts.
Denver now has a short week, headed to Kansas City for a Thursday Night showdown with the Chiefs in just five days. The Broncos have lost 15 in a row to their AFC West foe, which can’t even be called a rival at this point.
For Payton, it looks like he signed up for a rebuild, whether he realized it or not. The Carolina Panthers are 0-5, but the Broncos are among six teams with a 1-4 record. It’s insane that it’s early October and fans will track draft position, but that’s where we’re at.
The trade deadline looms on Halloween as well, and a number of big name players could be moved. Randy Gregory has already been shipped out of town, and now it’s probably a matter of “when” not “if” when it comes to tracking who’s next.
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