Panic Over Davis Webb Looks Premature After Broncos Beat Jaguars

After the Denver Broncos' performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, and with how putrid the offense looked, a lot of shade was thrown at offensive coordinator Davis Webb for his play-calling.

It wasn’t a good game for Webb, but his opponent, Steve Spagnuolo, is a great defensive mind. Webb had his work cut out for him, and the Chiefs' veteran defensive coordinator showed him up.

It wasn’t all Webb, though. Execution, penalties, and time of possession were problems, but he still drew the ire and most of the blame for the offense's impotent showing in Week 1.

Overall, Webb wasn’t good in that first game, but not to the point where it was time to question whether he should be demoted or Sean Payton should take play-calling duties back, and that was proven in the Broncos' 20-13 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

What Webb Showed in Week 2

Davis Webb prior to kickoff against the Jaguars. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the first half, the Broncos' offense struggled, but the play calls were not the issue. There were a few questionable calls and play designs, but overall the concepts did well; the execution was the biggest issue.

Some critics point to the three straight run calls on the goal line, but the Broncos' offense failed to execute some solid, standard rushing designs. On one play, right guard Quinn Meinerz, of all players, got whipped off the snap, and then there was a bad center-to-quarterback exchange, which ultimately led to Denver settling for a field goal.

However, those play calls were perfectly acceptable, especially since so many complaints last week stemmed from a lack of commitment to the run game. Again, the play calls weren't the issue on the goal line against Jacksonville; it was the execution.

Execution Problems Persist

The Broncos huddle up against Jacksonville. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Broncos' offensive execution remains an issue, and it largely comes down to the offensive line. Against the Jaguars, Denver's O-line again looked like a mediocre unit at best instead of one of the best starting fives in the NFL, as it has been lauded for the past two seasons.

Webb called good plays to attack weak spots in the Jaguars' defense, but the Broncos couldn’t execute consistently. The second half provides all the evidence: the Broncos executed better, while the play-calling stayed largely the same.

One thing Broncos fans should be more than aware of is that play-calling can only do so much; the guys on the field still have to execute. Good calls can be ruined by poor execution, just as bad play calls can look great because of a player or two going above and beyond.

You have to look at the sequencing and whether they're designed to attack the opponent's weaknesses. That is what Webb did against Jacksonville, with gusto.

The Results

The Broncos finished with 392 total yards against one of the NFL's best defenses, and a unit that largely stymied them in their previous matchup late last season. 104 of those yards came on the ground, while Bo Nix wasn't sacked on the way to a 288-yard passing day.

Denver led the time-of-possession game 31:17 to 28:43, and Webb's strategic aggressiveness paid dividends throughout the contest with several explosive plays downfield. The Broncos still struggled on third down and in the red zone, but again, the players have to step up their game to execute Webb's play calls, designed to exploit the opponent's vulnerabilities.

The Takeaway

Webb's sample size is still small, with only two games as the play-caller, but if he can keep building on what he showed against the Jaguars, there is an opportunity for him to be a great offensive play-caller. It was easy to see in Week 2 why Sean Payton and the Broncos are so confident in Webb.

If the Broncos' offense continues to improve and the team stacks wins, Webb could get a head-coaching job after this season. Things still aren’t perfect, but how he develops and improves his offense will be a vital factor in the Broncos' 2026 outlook and in whether he garners any head-coaching opportunities after the season.

For now, though, Broncos Country should take its finger off the panic button, take a deep breath, and trust what was seen in Week 2's win over a high-quality, playoff-caliber opponent. Payton knows what he's doing, and so does Webb.

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