Broncos' Sean Payton aims to fix 'slow' communication issues on offense: 'If we need to wristband it, we will'

It’s a new era in Denver, but some of the same issues continue to rear their head two weeks into Sean Payton’s tenure.

The drive before the Hail Mary/failed two-point try drama on Sunday, Russell Wilson and the offense struggled in the red zone, with the Broncos quarterback taking two sacks to force a chip-shot field goal. After the Broncos saw a 21-3 lead evaporate to ultimately lose 35-33 to the Commanders and start the season 0-2, Payton cited “slow” communication multiple times meeting with the press.

“It was more than just one drive,” Payton said when asked about the communication issues on the second-to-last drive. “There were a number of drives where we were late with personnel, getting out of the huddle we took a while. That has to change. We had to burn timeouts in the first half, and I’m not used to doing [that]. We have to be better. I have to be better. Russ has to be sharper with getting the play out, and then we have to look at how much we have in. If we need to wristband it, we will.”

Ahhhhh, the wristband chatter is back.

For those of you who blocked the 2022 Denver Broncos from your mind — I can’t blame you — let me refresh.

Last November, Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll noted that Geno Smith wearing a wristband with a play-call sheet helped the offense run smoother. It was a dig at Wilson, who Carroll added was “resistant” to wearing such a band.

Wilson got a solid retort in, noting the Seahawks “won a lot of games” without a wristband.

Fun times.

A QB wearing a wristband isn’t new or innovative. If it was good enough for Tom Brady, it’s good enough for anyone.

The difference here is that if Wilson remains resistant to a wristband, but Payton insists, believing it could help smooth out the operation, it could lead to the first on-field power move of the coach’s reign.

“I thought we’ve done a really good job of getting in and out of the huddles,” Wilson said on Sunday. “I thought we had two or three plays where we could’ve been a little bit faster. In the first half, we called a timeout on one of them. We have to be cleaner. We’ll be cleaner next time.”

Denver got off to a hot start against Washington, but a Wilson fumble late in the first half and another interception turned the tide, going from up 21-3 to down 35-24. The communication issues are part of the problem, as has been the defense’s inability to get a stop the past two weeks.

Payton knows it’s on him to turn things around before they snowball further downhill.

“I get it, and I get that we’re going to write and talk about it,” he said. “I can’t change that we’re 0-2, but I can certainly change how we approach the next game and prepare to play the third game. That’s all we can do.”

That third game comes against the 2-0 Dolphins in Miami next Sunday.