The Davis Webb experience hasn’t exactly gotten off to a quick start in Denver. The Broncos sit at a respectable 2-2, but they have the 26th-ranked offense both in total yards (280.3 per game) and points scored (18.5 per game).
To their credit, they’ve been forced to run the gauntlet against three teams that made the playoffs last season and the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead. Not exactly a cupcake schedule thus far.
Still, they could only muster 10 and 14 points in their two losses to the Chiefs in the season opener and the 49ers last week. Any way you slice it, that’s unacceptable. Some have questioned whether first-year play-caller Davis Webb is the man for the job on offense.
ESPN’s Benjamin Solak thinks the Broncos will pull the plug on the experiment if the offense struggles to take flight in their Week 4 matchup against the Chargers. Virtually nothing has gone right for their AFC West rivals, and they should be a relatively easy test. They’ve given up the ninth-most points (26.5 per game) thus far.
“The Broncos have a key matchup with the 0-4 Chargers this Sunday — another offensive stinker, and I could see coach Sean Payton switching up the headset on a short week before facing the Seahawks on Thursday night in Week 6. Seems like a smart way to get the drop on an elite unit,” Solak wrote.
Solak also isn’t alone in that regard. ESPN’s Dan Graziano voiced a similar sentiment, saying sources he spoke to believe Sean Payton won’t wait too much longer to take play-calling duties back from Webb. (Per Sleeper NFL X account).
Sean Payton Didn’t Throw Cold Water On Those Flames On Sunday
While five games would be a quick hook to strip Webb of his play-calling duties, it’d be understandable considering Sean Payton’s status as one of the league’s premier offensive geniuses of this generation.
Payton didn’t push back when asked whether he could reclaim his role as the play-caller after the team’s 24-14 loss against San Francisco.
“It’s too early to [consider it]. It’s a fair question. I appreciate it,” Payton said. “It’s tough to discuss any of that right now.”
He obviously didn’t indicate it was on the horizon, but he also didn’t push back on the hypothetical. That’s potentially big news.
The Broncos Season Will Also Be Teetering On The Brink With A Loss
Webb isn’t the only one who will desperately need to find answers on Sunday. Their Week 4 clash is one they simply cannot afford to lose.
Sure, the Chargers are talented, but they haven’t been doing anything right this season. You could make a strong case that they’ve been the worst team in the NFL this season. Another team vying for that title is the Cardinals, and they beat Los Angeles by 12 points in the season opener.
If the Broncos fall to 2-3 at the hands of the previously winless Chargers, then concern surrounding Denver will reach a fever pitch. There will be a new level added to the def-con scale for that scenario alone. A matchup with the defending Super Bowl champs on the horizon won’t make it any easier, either.
They’ll need to start figuring things out on the offensive side of the ball, or Webb and Co. will be in for a rude awakening.
NFL Analyst Believes Broncos Are One Game Away From Benching Davis Webb