Broncos players’ belief in Davis Webb is unshaken

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos’ offensive numbers are what they are through four games with offensive coordinator Davis Webb as the primary play caller.

Against a rigorous quartet of opponents that includes two of the NFL’s three remaining undefeated clubs, the Broncos are 27th in total offense, 26th in offensive success rate, 21st in EPA per play — but 15th in offensive DVOA, an indicator of better days to come as the scheduling gauntlet eases. The ground game has been inconsistent; the passing game not as explosive as hoped.

But the frustrations of the first four games — particularly with just one first-half touchdown and 13 first-half points in those contests — has led to questions flowing from near and far outside Broncos headquarters as to whether Webb will see the play-calling responsibilities return to Sean Payton, who handled the role in the previous three seasons.

A four-game sample size is a pittance over the long haul, but within the urgency wrought by a 17-game season, it’s not.

“After a four-game sample size … all right, certainly this isn’t championship football or what we see, how quickly can we correct those things?” Payton said after Wednesday’s practice.

In that regard, the Broncos remain in what Payton often calls “the race to get better.” They’re not where they want to be, but they’re not at the back of the herd, either.

And in the locker room, there remains a belief in what Webb brings — not only as a play-caller, but as a guiding presence on the offense — to help them get there.

BRONCOS PLAYERS HAVE FAITH IN WEBB

“I definitely believe in him. I know everyone else does, as well,” tight end Adam Trautman said.

“When we watch him talk about offense in our meetings and everything, you can tell he knows what he’s talking about.”

And in Trautman’s eyes, the struggles of the offense are a collective matter, not to be borne by one coach.

“Nothing falls entirely on him,” Trautman said. “… It’s everything.

“We have to figure it out … We have to be better collectively because maybe it’s 9 of the 11, maybe it’s 8 of the 11, maybe it’s 10 of the 11 doing the right thing, and then the next play it’s someone completely different.

“We just gotta collectively be better. That’s all it is, really.”

Webb isn’t the first young play-caller to have some early hiccups, and he won’t be the last. Take Klint Kubiak as an example; after assuming the Broncos’ play-calling reins midway through the 2022 season, the offense didn’t improve appreciably. But he grew from that, and three years later, was calling the plays for a world-championship-winning side. Now he has the Las Vegas Raiders at 3-1.

The start hasn’t been what Webb wanted. But that doesn’t mean he won’t get where he wants to go — in part because of his demeanor.

“Steady on to the next play, and I think that’s a very valuable skill that he has, and it’s going to make him a great head coach someday,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said.

“I think he’s incredibly intelligent. He understands football. He’s obviously played the quarterback position at a high level, so, he understands a lot of levels of the game of football. And I think his spirit and want-to and his will to compete — even as a play caller — is pretty special and I think the sky’s the limit for him.”

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