Broncos stand behind rookie QB, put RBs on alert

Broncos head coach Sean Payton wants to see improvement from rookie quarterback Bo Nix, but he's far more concerned with the impact of Denver's flat-lined running game.

Javonte Williams is averaging 2.1 yards per carry, with 40 yards on 19 carries and zero gains longer than nine yards, as the Broncos started the season 0-2. Payton said it's on the coaches and offensive line to a certain extent, but put Williams on notice entering Week 3.

"I saw it in training camp," Payton said of Williams finding his groove. "I look forward to seeing it this season. In the meantime, some of these other guys are doing a good job. (RB) Jaleel [McLaughlin] is another one that needs more touches. We talked about (RB) Tyler Badie. You're patient, and yet at some point -- and it starts up front obviously -- you want to see those runs."

Badie had one carry for 16 yards Sunday in the loss to the Steelers. He could be a more significant factor soon. Payton said it's his responsibility to find Badie touches.

"It's something as a play caller, as someone who's looking at the game, I've got to be able to see that," Payton said of Badie's one splash play Sunday. "He is a player though who had his name on a lot of different plays that either were red zone or situational plays that we weren't able to get to. It's not intentional. It's not like, ‘Hey we're not aware.' You're just into the flow of the game and you have to be better that way."

Payton said Nix, who has four interceptions and a 51.0 passer rating, processed the game well against Pittsburgh, even if the results -- including an ill-advised red zone throw that was intercepted -- don't make his growth evident.

"A couple of things you see on tape. You see early on us struggle inside which forces him out of the pocket. Then you do see later in the second half, a cleaner pocket and then him hurry it," Payton said. "It's developing the confidence of climbing, developing the confidence within the framework of your protection. He does have a good pocket presence for the most part. He's not someone that's just going to look to take off and look to scramble. So we've got to build on that and make sure it kind of begins with that, relative to the design of what you're trying to do in the drop-back passing game."

--Field Level Media