The Denver Broncos made a major coaching adjustment last week when Sean Payton reclaimed offensive play-calling duties from coordinator Davis Webb. Now, the Seattle Seahawks are getting their first taste of what the decision means for opposing defenses.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, October 13, Seahawks safety Julian Love acknowledged that Denver’s shakeup has presented an unusual challenge as Seattle prepares for Thursday Night Football.
“It’s interesting because you want the most recent tape, so it switches things up and forces you into the archives a bit,” Love said. “But the players are still the players.”
Love’s remarks illustrate an interesting wrinkle in Payton’s decision. Seattle now has just one game of 2026 film to study with the Broncos head coach back in charge of the offense, rather than the four games Denver played under Webb.
And with only a few days between games, the Seahawks don’t have much time to adjust.
Sean Payton’s Broncos Decision Creates Challenge for Seahawks
Payton announced on October 8 that he was taking back play-calling responsibilities after Denver’s disappointing offensive start to the season.
The Broncos entered Week 5 ranked 28th in total offense, averaging just 280.3 yards per game. They were also 28th in offensive points scored, averaging 16.8 per contest.
Webb, who was promoted to offensive coordinator during the offseason, had been given control of the offense after Payton handled play-calling from 2023 through 2025.
“We’ll make a change offensively,” Payton told reporters on October 8. “I’ll call the plays.”
The change produced an immediate victory, although Denver’s offense remained inconsistent in a 23-17 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on October 11.
Denver trailed 17-10 entering the fourth quarter before scoring 13 unanswered points to secure the victory. Quarterback Bo Nix threw for just 123 yards, while the Broncos’ defense helped provide favorable field position for the offense.
The result gives Seattle an interesting scouting assignment. Studying the Chargers game offers the most recent evidence of Payton’s current approach, but examining his previous seasons calling Denver’s plays might reveal tendencies that Webb’s four-game stint did not.
Love also emphasized that Seattle cannot become too consumed with Denver’s coaching change.
The Broncos still have Nix at quarterback, Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle at receiver, and J.K. Dobbins in the backfield.
Broncos Face Seahawks Team Looking to Rebound
The Broncos enter Thursday’s matchup at 3-2, while the Seahawks are coming off a frustrating 32-29 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Seattle allowed 32 points in that defeat, with Love acknowledging that the Seahawks’ defense has its own problems to correct.
“We’ve got to get off the field on third downs and force field goal attempts in the red zone,” Love said.
He also stressed the importance of limiting explosive plays, something Seattle had done particularly well earlier in the season.
For Denver, the matchup presents another opportunity for Payton to get an inconsistent offense moving in the right direction.
For Seattle, it means preparing for a familiar offensive architect whose latest version of the Broncos’ attack is still taking shape.
And as Love pointed out, the Seahawks may need to look backward to figure out what’s coming next.
Broncos Have Forced Seahawks to Make Unusual Adjustment Ahead of TNF