Bo Nix said after the Denver Broncos’ overtime win over Seattle that he did not understand why the offense could not push the ball down the field. When Sean Payton was asked about that on Monday, he blamed the coaches first.
“Certainly come away from a game like that and you’re wanting a little bit more, or obviously chunk plays,” Payton said. “And that starts with me and us, giving him those opportunities when they present itself.”
Nix went 17 of 27 for 107 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions, in the 17-14 win on Thursday, October 15. Payton said Seattle’s defense was part of the problem. “We knew going into that game there were some challenging looks based on the way these guys feature their two-high shell,” he said. “We’ll be able to get the ball down the field.”
“To answer your question, no”
Asked whether he had considered a change at quarterback, Payton did not hesitate. “I said this a week ago. To answer your question, no,” he said. He said Nix’s play will rise with everything around him. “He’s going to become the byproduct of all the finer things that can improve: the improved play from our offensive line, the more efficient we are relative to balance, running the football,” Payton said. “And that’s our jobs as coaches here.”
One question asked whether Nix was dealing with a mental hurdle tied to his ankle. Payton answered more broadly, talking about the club’s training room and the mental side of a tough league, and then came back to his quarterback. “I think that’s one of the things that attracted us to Bo in the beginning, is we had seen his ability to climb through adversity,” he said. “It’s not just [Bo] that feels that. Like right now, offensively, I feel that our players feel that, and we’ll improve.”
“We’ve got a chance to play better”
Another reporter said both Nix and Payton looked plainly frustrated. Payton pointed to the record. “Fortunately, we’re sitting here at four and two,” he said. “We’ve got a chance to play better this upcoming weekend and we will.” He said frustration builds “when you’re not getting first downs,” and he said body language matters. “This is another week where our attention to detail, all those things, it has to improve,” he said. “We understand that. So we’re anxious to get back to work.”
He was also asked about criticism of Nix from national commentators, including former quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Payton did not take the bait. “I try to focus on the next day here,” he said. “We’re trying to focus on getting ready to play Arizona.”
Payton was also asked about edge rusher Jonathon Cooper, who came off the Commissioner Exempt List on Friday while his Colorado criminal case, in which he has pleaded not guilty, is still open. Payton said Cooper “initiated the steps right away himself” after his June arrest and that “to his credit, he didn’t back away at all from what he felt like was necessary.” He would not go into detail and noted that much of it “becomes a league issue.”
Denver visits the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on Sunday, October 25, at 4:05 p.m. EDT.
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