The Solution to a Broncos Rushing Renaissance: Keep it Simple

Sean Payton's creativity as a play-caller has served him well as a head coach, but sometimes, too much of a good thing can be bad.

Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Throughout the Denver Broncos' offseason and preseason, much of the conversation has centered around Sean Payton's desire to field an improved run game. Despite all the talk, the Broncos had rushing issues in their season-opening victory over the Tennessee Titans, especially early on in the game. 

To try and help get things going, Payton added outside zone concepts to a Broncos' rushing attack that had been mostly gap-based. So, instead of focusing on improving what they were doing, Payton decided to add some wrinkles, and more isn’t always better. 

The Problem

In Week 1, the Broncos struggled running outside zone concepts, a problem that originated with the blocking upfront, where players still seemed uncertain about their new responsibilities. These same issues were evident during the first-team offense's limited preseason body of work, leading many to question whether the run game could get off the ground. 

By the end of the Titans game, the Broncos had a 38.5% success rate when running the ball, which was tied for the 15th-lowest in the NFL for the first week. That ranks around the middle of the pack, but outside zone concepts drag that number down. 

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Sep 7, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey (12) runs inside vs. the Tennessee Titans. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Broncos' success, including their four longest runs, was based on the same type of inside zone or gap concepts that they ran last year. What's even more impressive is that they weren’t overly complicated concepts for the blockers upfront. They were relatively simple tasks that required less thinking for the offensive line, tight ends, and wide receivers. 

One issue Payton has always had is perhaps an overreliance on sophistication as it applies to his offense. There are times when Payton will go with a creative play-call, simply because it's a bit avant-garde

This was an issue for the Broncos in each of the past two seasons, and it reared its head when Payton was still with the New Orleans Saints. Sometimes you need to stick with the simple stuff, especially when your offense is used to running a certain concept.

O-Line Knows the Gap Principles

The Broncos perform well when running simpler concepts, which was evident last year. If the Broncos want to get their run game going, they should stick with what they do best. Now, that doesn’t mean they should throw the outside zone away or dispense with more creative concepts, but they can do it with less frequency. 

Payton’s penchant for the complex doesn’t even delve into his late push to get the run game going, which also stems back to a trend from the two seasons. It's a habit, and while he has taken accountability for a lack of commitment to the run game, at times, it's an issue that has persisted. 

On the first drive, the Broncos had one run to eight pass plays, then three runs to 15 passes after their second drive. This continued until the Broncos had eight runs and 26 passes in the first half, not including the kneel-down to end the second quarter. 

The Broncos ended with 30 total runs, which included scrambles by Nix, designed pass plays, and 40 passing attempts. The lack of balance in the first half has been a persistent issue for Payton, particularly since arriving in Denver. 

The Takeaway

Sometimes the key to an improved run game is simplicity. Payton would be wise to avoid overcomplicating the run game with excessive creativity and refrain from using concepts that make the blockers uncomfortable, and use what the Broncos' linemen are comfortable with, while calling run plays with more frequency.