Following a 31-10 season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton described the performance as a slap in the face, while addressing the team’s struggles under new offensive play-caller Davis Webb.
Denver Broncos Face the Kansas City Chiefs
The Denver Broncos entered the 2026 season with high expectations after claiming the top seed in the conference last year. But their Monday night opener in Kansas City delivered an immediate reality check. The Broncos managed just 10 points in a 31-10 defeat against the Chiefs, producing an offense that never found its footing.
Sean Payton Assesses the Offense and the Debut of Davis Webb
Davis Webb Takes Over Play-Calling Duties
Head coach Sean Payton made waves during the offseason when he decided to hand over offensive play-calling duties to Davis Webb, who spent the previous three seasons as the team’s quarterbacks coach and pass game coordinator. Webb’s regular-season debut as play-caller proved difficult as the Denver offense stalled completely after an opening-quarter touchdown.
Quarterback Bo Nix finished 17-of-28 for 131 passing yards, throwing one touchdown and an interception on the Broncos’ opening drive while also losing a fumble. The ground game contributed just 61 yards, and tight end Evan Engram led all receivers with a modest 43 yards. Meanwhile, Kansas City controlled the game with a 392-176 advantage in total yards, fueled by a dominant performance from Kenneth Walker III, who tallied 173 rushing yards and 18 receiving yards to outgain the entire Denver unit.
Addressing reporters after the blowout loss, Payton deflected any notion that the play-calling burden changed his personal responsibility as head coach.
“Just as a head coach always, whether you’re calling the plays or you’re not. Regardless of who’s calling the plays. When you have a game like that, and you’re the head coach, you know it’s frustrating. It’s disappointing. And I don’t know that the feeling is any different, whether you’re calling them or not. Honestly.”
Sean Payton, Denver Broncos Head Coach, via Bleacher Report
Fan Backlash and the Team’s Search for Answers
Fans Demand Immediate Staff Changes
The sluggish offensive showing sparked immediate frustration on social media, with fans openly questioning the decision to strip Payton of play-calling duties and demanding immediate staff changes on game day. One fan posted on social media calling out player usage and urging, Fire Davis Webb ASAP.
While supporters voiced their discontent online, Payton rejected any sugarcoating of the result when speaking with the media on Tuesday.
While quarterback Bo Nix had previously described the opening-week defeat as a nasty wakeup call, Payton offered his own blunt assessment of where the team stands after a disjointed training camp and offseason program.
“Certainly a slap in the face. When you come off training camp and your offseason program, it’s one thing to lose in a hard-fought game where you feel like you played well. I don’t feel like we played up to our standard, and certainly that starts with us as coaches, myself. So yes, it’s disappointing. That would be a great way to describe it.”
Sean Payton, Denver Broncos Head Coach, via Pro Football Talk
Upcoming Schedule and the Road Ahead for Denver
Denver Prepares to Host Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars
With only three regular-season losses recorded in 2025, Denver faces a demanding stretch that leaves little time to correct course. The schedule does not ease up as the team prepares to host Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars in Denver on Sunday—the very opponent that ended Denver’s 11-game winning streak last December. Subsequent matchups against the Rams, 49ers, Chargers, and Seahawks mean the Broncos must quickly stabilize an offense searching for an identity if they intend to win the AFC West once again and take it to the next level with a Super Bowl appearance.
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