ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos may be 0-2 with 2-0 Tampa Bay and the 2-1 New York Jets up next. They may rank 28th in total offense and 29th in points scored.
But it’s not from head coach and offensive play-caller Sean Payton lacking creativity or thinking outside the box or having thin skin.
Payton understands the frustrations of a passionate fan base. And 0-2 or no 0-2, he’s bringing the team out East for a 10-day road trip that by all accounts should help the Broncos play closer to peak performance.
9NEWS caught up with Payton midweek to talk play calling, white jerseys at home and the road trip:
You have 9 top 5 ranks in total offense, 9 top 5 in scoring. Not top 10. Top 5. And yet the whole state thinks they can call plays better than you this week. How do you cope with such scrutiny and criticism?
Payton: “First off, I get it. We have passionate fans. And that’s part of the deal. I don’t hear it, because we’re busy working. But nonetheless I appreciate it. Look, we’re in a production business. We’re working our tails off to improve and we will. I think the key is, if there’s some specific thing, like for instance third down, we have to be better at. But look the noise is always loudest obviously if you’re either winning or losing. So we have to get on to the next game and focus on this next one.”
We looked out in the stands Sunday at Empower Field and there were all these orange jerseys. You’ve gone with white tops in all five games so far this year, including the three preseason games. Is there a science behind white clothing with the warm weather?
Payton: “We don’t have a choice in Seattle. So we play our first regular-season game at home and if there’s heat we’ll transition. I think we’re back to wearing our normal (orange throwbacks in next home game, and regular orange jerseys the following week against the Chargers). … it’s just early, that’s all.”
You’re staying out East for 10 days. I’ve covered this team for a while and you’re the first coach to do that. Your reasoning?
Payton: “In the offseason we had four East Coast games (on our schedule). You can ask the league to put two of them back to back. And then instead of making four eastern trips you make three essentially. If that makes sense. There could have been a number of different places. We didn’t know which games. It could have been Baltimore or Cincinnati. They gave us Tampa and then they gave us the Jets. It just shortens your flight miles. I think it’s something when we discussed this with our sleep specialist and all those other people it makes a lot of sense.”
