Photo via Yahoo Sports

Sean Payton’s Broncos struggle in September, he’s shown he’ll fix it

The Denver Broncos experienced a difficult beginning to their 2026 campaign, dropping their Monday night season opener 31-10 on the road against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Entering the year following an AFC West championship in 2025, Denver featured an attack bolstered by the trade acquisition of receiver Jaylen Waddle and another year of quarterback Bo Nix under head coach Sean Payton.

However, the unit faltered significantly at Arrowhead Stadium during Davis Webb's first game managing play-calling responsibilities after previously serving as pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Following the 21-point setback, Payton identified a single pivotal moment that heavily damaged Denver's chances while also critiquing the team's offensive balance, observing that the unit passed far too much and neglected the ground game. The dismal showing prompted immediate scrutiny from spectators regarding Webb's role and raised questions about whether Payton will reclaim play-calling duties moving forward, though the veteran coach has historically demonstrated a knack for correcting early-season September woes.