BUFFALO, N.Y. — Sean Payton the offensive game planner and play caller has made an adjustment.
During his time with the New Orleans Saints, the offense was Air Brees. In nine of Payton’s 16 years as head coach and lead offensive coach, the Saints averaged between 28 and 34.2 points a game.
With the Broncos, the sweet spot for victory seems to be about 24 points. During this three-game winning streak, the Broncos have scored 19, 24 and 24 points.
“We’re by no means at our sweet spot,’’ Payton said Tuesday in his day after beating Buffalo news conference. “I say that, looking at the film this morning there’s so many things we’ve got to clean up and get better at.”
No one is saying the Broncos’ offense isn’t efficient, especially lately. They can have a winning offense if not a high-scoring offense. It’s just that, you know, no one is calling it Air Russ. Russell Wilson, the Broncos’ quarterback, has an excellent touchdown-to-interception efficiency of 18 to 4 through 9 games. But he has also thrown for less than 200 yards in his last five games.
Payton seems to be focusing his Broncos’ offense on ball-control passing and rushing the ball. Which by the way may be a factor in Denver’s defensive turnaround.
For the season, the Broncos rank 23rd in total yards (301.9) and are tied for 15th with 21.8 points per game. Payton, though, bristles at the suggestion his offense has a sweet spot points number of 24.
“Look, we were well into the program with Brees, the receivers, the running game all of that,’’ Payton said. “But there were times it wasn’t with Drew and we had to adjust. … Whoever the quarterback was I think you have to be mindful of that, A, and B, what does it take to win that game?
“Again watching the tape this morning there’s a lot we have to clean up and we will. We haven’t hit that sweet spot. But it starts with building it around what you have and who we have.”
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