DENVER — Among the many problems that continue to sink the Denver Broncos is their weekly struggles with time management.
Head coach Sean Payton acknowledged it was a problem after a week 2 loss to Washington, when the Broncos burned all three of its first-half timeouts with 6 minutes, 46 seconds in the second quarter. Acknowledging a problem is the first step to a resolution, the self-help books and coaching manuals say.
Payton vowed the issue – which dates back to the early part of last season -- would be fixed. He reduced the verbiage. Contracted some longer plays into a code word. He had quarterback Russell Wilson use his wristband to help him relay the play calls.
And the Broncos are still burning first-half timeouts.
The streak has extended to six. In all six games, the Broncos have burned a timeout unnecessarily – 10 in the first half, one early in the third quarter -- for a total of 11. Meanwhile, Wilson is rising from his kneeling position in the huddle.
The game-by-game breakdown of the 11 burned timeouts:
- Las Vegas: 2 (one early in the third quarter.)
- Washington: 3 (all with 6:46 left in the first half.)
- Miami: 1 (It did prevent a third-and-goal from the 17 from expanding to a third-and-goal from the 22 with 7:15 left in the second quarter. Wil Lutz kicked a short field goal to draw Denver within 21-10. Let’s just say the Broncos would get no closer.)
- Chicago: 3 (one lost by unsuccessful challenge.)
- Jets: 1 (That sound you heard with 24 seconds left in first quarter was Nathaniel Hackett chortling from the visiting sideline.)
- Chiefs: 1 (Taken on the game’s first series to discuss a fourth-and-3 call from the Chiefs’ 38. After the chat, Wilson rolled, looked, and was sacked.)
Unfortunately for the Broncos, in a season of what could go wrong, has gone wrong, they didn’t burn all their first-half timeouts against the Chiefs. Payton would call two more with 28 (third-and-5, but then another Wilson sack) and 22 seconds left in the half (fourth and 12).
“That’s a boneheaded mistake by me,’’ Payton said. “They were calling one as well. I’m off a down. That was stupid.”
Riley Dixon didn’t bail out his coach by mishitting a 29-yard punt. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes made two quick plays for 19 yards and, of course, Harrison Butker was good from 60 as time expired. A self-inflicted 3-point gift and 13-0 halftime deficit.
It feels like the Broncos have reached a tipping point. Their fans are fed up as a seventh consecutive losing season seems certain. Former Broncos players have been harshly critical.
In a 1-5 season that includes a 70-20 loss – come again how a team loses, 70-20? – time management is one of the more embarrassing issues as it creates the perception of chaos.
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