Sean Payton's Excuse for Limiting Marvin Mims, Jr. in KC Rings Hollow

Entering Week 6's tilt at the Kansas City Chiefs, the Denver Broncos would need to not only turn over a new leaf defensively, but all of the weapons on offense would need to be used in the arsenal even to have a chance. The Broncos received an inspired performance from their defense — finally — holding the Chiefs to just 19 points, but the offense sputtered throughout the game, which ended in an 11-point defeat for the road team.

The Broncos failed to get their key skill players involved, with the exception of the running backs in the first half and Courtland Sutton in the fourth quarter. Jerry Jeudy finished with just three receptions for 14 yards, but missing in action almost entirely was heretofore Denver's leading receiver entering Week 6 — Marvin Mims Jr.

On Monday, head coach Sean Payton addressed Mims' lack of playtime, lamenting his team's ability to find the right "balance" with regard to budgeting touches to the different skill-position players.

“He’s doing well," Payton said. "We’re faced with a challenge sometimes of trying to find that balance with Sutton, Jeudy, Mims, and the guys that we feel like can make plays in space. He’s on track, and we’re confident in how he’s handling the return duties but also his ability to make plays for us in the passing game. [We’re] trying to find that balance."

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Only four days removed from losing two fumbles, Mims was given just 12 offensive snaps, and he wasn't targeted, nor did he touch the ball, outside of return duties. Payton denied that Mims' ball-security issues played a role in his lack of action in Arrowhead Stadium, but not many people are buying it.

"We’ve had packages where both he [Mims] and Jeudy are on the field at the same time opposite of one another," Payton continued. "Again, that’s still a work in progress, but I don’t think it’s a work in progress specifically towards Marvin as much as it is for us finding packages and touches for him both in the passing game. Then also, he’s someone that can handle the speed sweeps, the arounds, and those types of things. He is really good with the ball in his hands.”

Thanks, Captain Obvious. I kid, I kid.

That's why media and fans alike were scratching their heads, many of whom were up in arms, over the Broncos' failure to prioritize even one offensive touch to the player, albeit a rookie, who's easily been the team's most explosive this season. Because "he is really good with the ball in his hands."

Mims had received at least one target in every game before Week 6. It's no coincidence that in the game following his two-giveaway performance, he received zero bites at the apple.

Hopefully, Payton's lesson hit home for Mims. With how talented he his, the only thing that could hold Mims back from realizing his immense potential would be ball security — outside of the injury bug.

Entering Week 7, Mims now trails Sutton for the team lead in receiving yards, with 246 on just 10 receptions. Sutton, who's traditionally had a very healthy yards-per-catch average, has needed 25 receptions to get to 275 yards (11.0 avg).

Meanwhile, Mims is still toting that mind-boggling 24.6 yards-per-catch average. He's also scored a receiving touchdown and has returned one punt to the house.

Again, for an offense as dynamically anemic as Denver's is, Payton needs all the twitched-up playmaking ability he can get. But perhaps as an acolyte of Hall-of-Fame head coach Bill Parcells, who was renowned for his expert football psychology relative to players, Payton saw more value in Mims learning a lesson and feeling what it's like to have his opportunities taken away as a result of ball insecurity.

From 10,000 feet, perhaps Payton made the right decision. In the moment, as the Broncos limped out to a 1-5 start, Payton's explanation rings hollow.

Mims' long-term football education is cold comfort in the face of another losing product on the field.

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