Bo Nix Admits Broncos ‘Let a Teammate Down’ After Sean Payton’s Major Decision

The Denver Broncos struggled again on offense, leading head coach Sean Payton to take over playcalling duties. Quarterback Bo Nix responded with an honest admission, saying the players let offensive coordinator Davis Webb down by failing to execute and support him.

The sudden shift hands playcalling back to an experienced head coach while putting the burden squarely on the roster to turn their season around.

Sean Payton takes back playcalling duties after four games

Payton confirmed Thursday that he is taking play-calling duties back from first-year offensive coordinator Webb after only four games. He handed Webb the call sheet in February after calling plays himself in each of his 18 previous seasons as a head coach.

The decision came with a message from the locker room. "Sean Payton said Bo Nix was disappointed in Davis Webb losing play calling because the offense feels like they let a teammate down," Stevens wrote .

Former Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley first reported the move Wednesday night on Broncos Sports Radio 104.3, and ESPN's Adam Schefter described it as a more collaborative approach in which Webb keeps a significant game-planning role. "We'll make a change offensively," Payton said. "I'll call the plays." He also praised his coordinator. "I've done this long enough where I know when I have a future head coach, and Webb's gonna be one."

The Broncos are 2-2 after a 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on October 4. Webb's first game as play-caller ended in a 31-10 loss at Kansas City on September 14, a game in which the Broncos gained only 176 yards.

Bo Nix says offense left coordinator in difficult spot

The Broncos offense has stalled through four games. The Broncos rank 27th in the NFL in points per game (18.5) and yards per game (280.3), and their 13 first-half points are the fewest in the league. Against San Francisco, 29 of Nix's 42 attempts went behind the line of scrimmage or less than 10 yards downfield.

A reporter asked Bo Nix whether the offense let Webb down, and his answer was direct. Nix said , "Absolutely. I think players didn't make it easy on him. Pretty pitiful, actually. … We called exactly what we prepared and what we wanted to get, and we just didn't execute, and then we were behind. I don't think we did a whole lot of good consistently to win the game. " Ahead of the upcoming matchup, Payton made it clear that his young quarterback remains fully supportive of the coaching staff.

Nix has not turned on his coordinator. "I'm real confident in him," he said after that game.