If Sean Payton needs his quarterback to see the game through the coach’s eyes, Russell Wilson is the wrong guy to be running the Denver offense.
This sticky problem goes beyond the way Wilson and Payton process plays and analyze the game in real time. What we’re witnessing is nothing less than a minor football miracle, because during this remarkable 5-1 stretch of success that has pushed the Broncos back in playoff contention, I sometimes wonder if this quarterback and this coach are even watching the same game.
While Wilson preaches faith that a struggling Denver offense is thisclose to a happy breakout of touchdown dances, Payton grouses about “chaos” in the red zone and laments receiver Jerry Jeudy has reason to be frustrated after repeatedly being undetected by his quarterback as he runs wide open down the field.
With not another misstep allowed against four AFC foes left on their schedule, the Broncos worked Wednesday on strategy to beat the Los Angeles Chargers. I asked Wilson what’s the process and line of communication between him and Payton in assembling the game plan.
“What’s the process?” Wilson replied. “It’s a long one, a very long one.”
And, apparently, a flawed one. What we have here is a failure to communicate. Payton’s vision for what the Denver offense could be has not translated into fireworks on the scoreboard. While Wilson praises his coach without fail, Payton barely conceals his contempt any time the Broncos make a mess of the masterpieces he has created on the big canvas of play calls he carries on the sideline.
During six losses by the Broncos in 2023, they’ve averaged 19 points per game, which is a slight improvement on the lousy job done by Nathaniel Hackett, but has done little to enhance Payton’s reputation as the genius that can fix Wilson and return a quarterback in his mid-30’s performances worthy of Pro Bowl recognition.
Ask Payton about the 22-17 loss to the Texans that snapped Denver’s winning streak and he focuses on the potential explosive plays that were duds and the scoring opportunities squandered. “There were a number of them in that game …” he said. “There are four or five sequences that you can point at and be like, ‘Holy cow.’”
Wilson, however, viewed his work as good enough when he moved the chains on fourth down by tucking the football and scrambling instead of spotting Jeudy running free for a touchdown pass during the second quarter in Houston.
“We’re 5-1 in the past six games. You can’t forget that … We have a lot of confidence in this locker room in who we are and what we’re going to do and how can can go about it.” said Wilson, whose eternally sunny outlook is frequently in stark contrast to the dark-side-of-the-moon criticism from his never-satisfied coach. “I believe that’s the team were are the past six games. And we can be even better.”
To the credit of their professionalism and competitive spirit, Wilson and Payton have found a way to win games together. But that doesn’t mean this coach and quarterback are having much fun doing it. It’s gritty. Not pretty. Russ doesn’t cook the way he did in Seattle, although Payton can frequently be seen stewing on the Denver sideline. There’s little to indicate they have forged a mutual respect built to last.
I’m hear to preach the good news that the Broncos will make the playoffs with a 10-7 record, provided they find a way to sweep their four remaining AFC opponents by beating the Chargers twice, joyfully celebrating Christmas Eve by beating Scrooge Belichick, then finding some way to just win against the Raiders, baby.
But it’s fair to ask: Does Payton have full confidence in Wilson to get this job done?
And should the Broncos fall short of the playoffs, would the huge financial repercussions of cutting Wilson be enough for Payton to grimace and bear the mistakes of his veteran quarterback for another season?
Barring a complete and utter collapse, Denver figures to be on the board in the middle of the first round in the 2024 NFL draft. The marquee quarterbacks – Caleb Williams of USC, Drake Maye of North Carolina and Jayden Daniels of Louisiana State – all figure to be gone in the top 10.
So, if given the chance, would Payton really end this far-less-than-perfect relationship with Wilson to take a chance on Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., whose extensive injury history is cause for consternation, or Oregon’s Bo Nix, who might not be anything more in the NFL than Kenny Pickett 2.0?
Like it or not, Payton and Wilson might be stuck with each other.
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