Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton doesn’t dwell on things. It’s not his way. He’s been known to go there when the issue is an officiating call that’s made him cranky, but that’s the exception rather than the rule.
“The focus is on the next week’s game,” Payton said when he was asked about the recovery time for quarterback Nix in a piece written by Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.
Payton also rejected idea that “all bets are off” for a team that loses its starting quarterback. As usual, the Denver coach was armed with examples, the most recent being the Philadelphia Eagles replacing Carson Wentz with Nick Foles, with Foles becoming the MVP of the 2017 Super Bowl after outdueling Tom Brady. For Payton, it’s all about the game plan going forward.
“I think the plan’s always got to be built around the skill set and the type of players you’re playing with,” Payton said. “Are there certain things that Bo does different than Stiddy? Absolutely. That’s where the work begins.”
This is a huge mountain to climb, however, and winning with backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham will be a very different challenge. Stidham does have plenty of talent as a pocket passer, and for what it’s worth, he did have a great preseason for Denver, completing 30 of 38 passes for 376 passes, four touchdowns and no interceptions in three games.
“One of Stiddy’s great strengths is his mental aptitude in his progressions and understanding plays,” Payton said. “There will be practices where I’m looking at Vance (Joseph, Denver’s defensive coordinator), like, getting [upset] because Stiddy’s making our defense look bad. He’s very accurate. He’s got a lot to his ball.”
Three things are working in Stidham’s favor here. The first is that he’ll be getting starter’s reps, which will help to some extent. It’s not game action, but it will be a very different scenario for the backup quarterback, who typically gets limited reps during the week.
The second is Payton’s ability to find matchups he can win. He did this on Saturday against the Bills, picking out backup safety Darnell Savage after Buffalo’s starter, Cam Lewis, had to head to the locker room to deal with leg crams. Payton did the same thing when cornerback Tre’Davious White was momentarily out and replaced by Dane Jackson, who promptly got beat by Denver receiver Marvin Mims Jr. for a touchdown.
The third factor will be the home crowd. Denver disrupted Buffalo’s offensive communication all night on Saturday, and they’ll likely do something similar against the New England Patriots. Being at home will make it slightly easier for Payton to calm Stidham down if he makes a bad turnover, which has been the backup quarterback’s Achilles heel throughout his career.
Most experts think that won’t be enough, but Payton disagrees. He thinks Stidham could be starting for a handful of teams, and now his is one of them.