Two weeks into the 2024 season, the Denver Broncos are struggling to move the ball and score points.
Broncos coach Sean Payton has attributed those struggles to several factors, including his own scheme and play-calling. Payton has also said Denver might be rotating in too many different players, and he seemed to hint that some personnel changes could be on the way.
“I just finished telling the coaches that that side of the ball needs to get cleaned up,” Payton said after a 13-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. “That starts with me. We have to start really looking at who we are asking to do what. It was frustrating because there were certain elements that went according to plan field position-wise. Our inability to score and convert third downs ultimately hurt us.”
Broncos running backs Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin have averaged 2.28 yards per carry this season, and improving the ground game is a point of emphasis this week.
Denver’s passing attack hasn’t been much better.
“When you run a play and it has success, you look at the pieces,” Payton said. “When you run a play and it does not have success, are we putting our guys in the best position? We are rotating a lot of different personnel groups in and out. I do not know if that is helping us quite honestly. We need to evaluate that closely relative to our personnel.”
Payton said Wednesday that he thinks “reducing the variables” could help the offense, perhaps by simplifying the offense and using fewer personnel groups. The coach might also make changes to the specific players involved.
“It’s something that I think you have to look at as a coach,” Payton said. “You have to start, ‘All right, what could we do better?’ I think that’s one of the things that we’ve talked about quite a bit. How do we reduce the variables, and then who’s doing it? Those two things I would point to.”
Payton did not mention any specific players by name, but tight end Greg Dulcich has struggled as a blocker and dropped two passes on Sunday, and the team’s receivers have been unremarkable while Marvin Mims and Troy Franklin have barely seen the field.
Already 0-2, the team now has a tough road game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on deck. Changes could be coming for the desperate Broncos.
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