Sean Payton told where Broncos' biggest problem remains as offense struggles

13 October 2023 , 14:38

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Denver Broncos are 1-5 after Week 6 in the NFL in Sean Payton's first season as head coach (Image: David Eulitt/Getty Images)

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has been told why Russell Wilson is the “problem” for the franchise.

Wilson has entered his second year with the Broncos, following a blockbuster trade from the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the 2022 NFL regular season. The veteran quarterback had a career-low QB rating of 38.7 from his debut season in Denver.

This season has not seen much, if anything, improve from a 5-12 first season with the the team. The Broncos stand at 1-5 after Week 6, with Wilson having a QB rating of 38.8 which sees him ranked 28th in the NFL.

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Thursday night saw the Broncos lose 19-8 to the Kansas City Chiefs in ‘Thursday Night Football’ in the NFL. Denver were trailing 13-0 at half-time, and 16-0 going into the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium, with Taylor Swift watching from the stands, as the team amassed a total of just 82 passing yards and 115 rushing yards.

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NFL analyst Colin Cowherd has sent a message to Payton, who is in his first season as head coach of the Broncos on why he thinks Wilson’s poor form since arriving in Denver is proving to be a problem for both Payton and the Broncos.

“When that game [vs Kansas City] was 13-0 it felt over, it would not have felt over with Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert or Trevor Lawrence,” said Cowherd on the .

“So Russell Wilson is the problem. His salary, combined with his lack of juice, he’s the issue.

“It’s really unprecedented where you see a star quarterback, with no major injury, drop off a cliff. It’s unprecedented, in the history of the NFL I have never seen anything like it.

“I saw Peyton Manning at the end, five years older than Russell Wilson is now and after four neck surgeries, go from really good to clearly not the same quarterback.

“Russ has never had a major injury, he’s a workaholic. Pete Carroll [Seahawks head coach] saw a lot of things, he saw him age quickly, and now it’s Sean Payton’s problem.”

Next up for the Broncos in the NFL is a home game against the Green Bay Packers in Week 7 on October 22 before a Week 8 return against the Chiefs, this time in Denver on October 29.

Mark Wakefield