A 'Pissed Off' Sean Payton Sends Message to Broncos' First-Team Units

To some, the sky is falling because Denver Broncos starting quarterback Bo Nix came up empty on two out of his three drives in the preseason opener vs. the San Francisco 49ers and failed to score a touchdown. Such anxieties must be summarily dismissed. 

Working out the kinks is what this three-game tune-up is all about in the preseason. Broncos head coach Sean Payton will return to the meeting rooms at Dove Valley with plenty to get right. 

"I thought we started slow," Payton said post-game after the Broncos' 30-9 win at Levi's Stadium. "That was disappointing. Both first units—so there will be a handful of stuff that we look at. There were a number of things that we're going to have to improve on." 

The Broncos' first-team defense also started slow, according to Payton, until outside linebacker Nik Bonitto burst into destructive form and helped get the group going on its final series of the game.
Because the 49ers rested so many starters, the signs of life Bonitto provided the defense were a bit overdue. 

During Thursday's joint practice sessions, Vance Joseph's defense caused plenty of disruption, so in general terms, Payton floated the theory that everybody may have lit their cigars a little prematurely. 

"Here's the deal. In this league, throughout the season, you are going to go against a lot of faceless opponents. You're going to have injuries," Payton said. "You better be ready to put your best stuff on tape. And so, but I don't, that's a good question. But I think, I don't know if they felt like the other day they got their work in. But, nonetheless, it was just average to below average." 

When you consider the expectations that exist for this defense, everyone is understandably a little disappointed that the Broncos didn't get to see a little mayhem right from the get-go. Inevitably, we circle back to the offense and Nix going 6-of-11 for a measly 31 yards, which came in glaring contrast to Jarrett Stidham's strong 14-of-15 night, passing for 136 yards. 

Nix's third series cut the 49ers' early nine-point lead down to six, via a Wil Lutz field goal. Nix's arm was seemingly just getting loose when Payton ended his night

Even so, the mostly spluttering showing from the Broncos' first-team units on both sides of the ball rubbed Payton the wrong way. 

"I just think a handful of these things, that have to be cleaned up, like tomorrow," Payton said. "I do think it's important when we come to work tomorrow... I've got 14 things written down that I'm pissed off about."

Of course, another two games remain on the preseason docket before the regular season kicks off against Cam Ward and the Tennessee Titans. Hopefully, it's enough time to get things ironed out, but just how much Payton will risk throwing Nix back out there in exhibition games remains to be seen. 

Guarding against early signs of complacency will most likely see Payton press those buttons he spoke about in the team meetings as soon as Sunday, and that's not a bad thing either. 

“The willingness of the player, employee, all of us to accept and make those corrections I think are important,” Payton said on Saturday.