The Denver Broncos raised a lot of eyebrows around the NFL when they announced that head coach Sean Payton would cede play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Davis Webb during the offseason. That decision did not pay dividends in the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs; instead, Bo Nix's struggles against Steve Spagnuolo's defense only increased speculation as to when Payton would reverse his controversial decision.
The decision struck so many people's curiosity because of Payton's level of offensive genius. His innovation on that side of the ball is a big part of what makes him such a valuable head coach. Payton also has a reputation around the league as someone who places a great deal of confidence in his own abilities.
The alleged reason he gave Webb play-calling duties was to prevent the young assistant from moving to a team that would give him that sort of responsibility. Denver appears to value Webb as an offensive mind on the rise. Payton's substantial concession did successfully keep him in the fold.
Officials in Denver hoped the move would pay immediate dividends, but it went the opposite way in Week 1. The Broncos offense only managed to score 10 points against a Chiefs defense that is not considered to be an elite unit. Nix struggled mightily to get anything going in the passing game, which is a major concern for the team moving forward.
When will Sean Payton take over play-calling duties for the Broncos?
The Broncos fancy themselves as Super Bowl contenders this year. The plan to win now means that Payton will not exercise a lot of patience if the offense continues to sputter. It seems more a question of when rather than if he'll take play-calling duties back from Webb.
Payton will want to look like a hero when he rides in to save his team's offense. That means he must find the perfect point in the regular season to get back in the saddle. If he does it too soon he'll look bad for not giving Webb the time to be successful. If he waits too late, Denver might fall out of the playoff race entirely.
That's why Broncos fans should keep a close eye on their Week 7 game at the Cardinals as the date Payton will select. That's a very winnable game for Denver. It's also just after the team is forced to take on an elite Seahawks defense at home in Week 6.
It's the perfect time for Payton to take control and go on a winning streak. The team hosts Kansas City the following week in a potential revenge game. Then they take on the Panthers, Raiders, Steelers, Dolphins, Jets and the Raiders for a second time before a tough game against the Bills. It's possible the Broncos would be favored in all six of those contests. Payton would love to go on a big winning streak to validate his decision.
It's possible Payton might want to wait until after the second Chiefs game, but that might be waiting a bit too late to challenge for home field. That is why he'll risk things a bit sooner. Week 7 is the time he'll get back on the headset to take control of the offense once again.
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