More Play-Calling Fallout Emerges After Broncos Big Change

The fallout from the play-calling controversy that defined the Denver Broncos’ week continues to emerge, according to a follow-up report from Jonathan Jones of The Athletic. 

According to Jones, the experiment with Webb calling plays lasted about 3-1/2 games longer than many observers around the NFL thought it would. They saw this move as a fait accompli, given Payton’s notorious attachment to his play-calling sheet plus the fact that he’s responsible for the final product on the field. 

A source “familiar” with Webb added that quarterback Bo Nix “isn’t cutting it loose regardless," which might be about the Broncos playing it safe with their quarterback early based on Nix’s ability to recover full from the broken ankle he sustained back in January. 

Another source pointed out how involved Payton typically is in game planning, and that source wondered how much of Webb’s own calls were allowed against a murderer’s row of top ten defenses in Denver’s early schedule. 

Payton is also setting himself up to play hero here. The Broncos play the Los Angeles Chargers this week, and calling plays against an 0-4 team that can’t get out of its own way right now is a lot easier than what Webb had to do. 

Jones also reviewed the teams that were interested in poaching Webb as their offensive coordinator, which includes the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders. 

It’s easy to forget now, but Payton also fired his former coordinator, Joe Lombardi, in what seemed like an impulsive move right after Denver’s 10-7 loss in the AFC Championship game back in January. Quick decisions aren’t exactly a novelty for Payton, who can be more than a little mercurial at times. 

The perception is now out there that Webb has been demoted, regardless of how the Broncos want to sugar coat the phrasing. And as Jones pointed out, play callers rarely get the job back when this sort of thing happens.

We’ll know a lot more about the reality of this starting on Sunday, then extending through this week. The Broncos play the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, and the quick turnround may or may not have been part of this decision. 

The fallout is also another example of how fast things can go sideways in the NFL. The Broncos were expecting to pickup right where they left off last year after their deep playoff run, but the connetion from year to year is rarely seamless, as Denver learned in September.