3 Things We Learned From the Denver Broncos After Week 6

It would be an understatement to say it’s been a struggle in 2023 for Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos.

SportsGrid looks at Denver’s results through Week 6.

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1. This Isn’t News, but Russell Wilson Doesn’t Have it Anymore

It’s sad to watch the demise of a quarterback that’s found so much success in the NFL. Russell Wilson led the Seattle Seahawks for ten seasons, which included multiple Super Bowl appearances. Since the Seahawks dealt Wilson to the Denver Broncos in 2021, the veteran signal-caller hasn’t performed to the level we’re accustomed to seeing from him. There are many potential reasons behind that, but his decline in mobility is the one we’re most comfortable highlighting. Wilson isn’t the type of player to hang things up when circumstances get tough, but it’s hard to watch him on the football field right now. If the Broncos have a top-three pick in the NFL Draft, it’s clear they’ll be selecting a quarterback. What that means for Wilson and the twilight years of his career remains to be seen. 

2. Sean Payton has Struggled to Make Adjustments 

There was something smug about how the Denver Broncos acquired head coach Sean Payton from the New Orleans Saints in the offseason. They paid the price in more ways than one, and the move has blown up in their face. A narrative has followed Payton throughout his coaching career, and many are bringing that up again in Denver. The quarterback position is arguably the most important in professional sports, and without Drew Brees leading the charge, there are flaws in Payton’s game plans. It’s still early in his Broncos tenure, but it will be interesting to see how the Broncos move forward if they can land a potential franchise quarterback in the NFL Draft. This is the year to do it, and some of these young quarterbacks can make a middling coach look like a Hall of Famer. Payton signed a five-year deal with the Broncos. What are the chances he’s still the head coach when those five years are up?

3. There are Bright Spots on the Defense 

Despite having multiple showings this season where they looked like the worst defense in the NFL (Yes, we haven’t forgotten the Miami Dolphins hung 70 points on them), the Denver Broncos defense was a bright spot in their Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The offense couldn’t move the football against a Chiefs defense that’s played well early on, but the defense limited the damage from Patrick Mahomes. We liked what we saw from Alex Singleton, Patrick Surtain, and Justin Simmons. It will be interesting to see how the Broncos navigate the NFL’s trade deadline. Reports suggest that there are few, if any, untouchables on this roster. How similar will this group look after the October 31 trade deadline?