The Denver Broncos walked into Week 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders riding high on a 7-2 record. Fans expected another strong showing – maybe even a statement win. But instead, head coach Sean Payton made a questionable call that left fans, and especially former NFL tight end Shannon Sharpe, absolutely fuming.

“Sean WTF was that? Need 1 yd and you run a gimmick,” Sharpe posted on X, summing up what every frustrated Broncos fan seemed to be thinking.

So what exactly went wrong?

In the third quarter, with the score tied 7-7, Denver had the ball deep in the Raiders’ territory. It was 3rd-and-1, a situation that usually calls for a simple power run or a quarterback sneak. Instead, Payton dialed up a trick play. 

Broncos’ quarterback Bo Nix stepped back, tossed a backward pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton. The WR then caught the ball and turned around to run through the middle and get the first down. But the Raiders weren’t fooled for even a second. Raiders’ jersey #49 read the play perfectly and stuffed Sutton for a loss of five yards.

But that’s not all. Broncos’ kicker Wil Lutz then missed a 59-yard field goal attempt, and the Raiders took over at their own 41. Though Denver eventually scraped out a 10-7 win, the frustration over Sean Payton’s questionable playcalling did not go unnoticed. And this isn’t new territory for Payton – it’s a recurrent mistake in his coaching. 

Even last week, after an 18-15 win against the Houston Texans, Sean Payton admitted the game hadn’t gone according to plan. “We wanted to play on their side of the field,” he said, pointing to poor special teams execution as a key reason they couldn’t. But at some point, can you really keep blaming the kicking game? 

Let’s face it, Sean Payton needs to change his game plans. Bo Nix has had his ups and downs. Still, he’s delivered when it matters most, especially in the fourth quarter. The defense, though, has been lights out. They’ve allowed over 30 points just once all season and rank among the league’s best in red-zone stops, third-down efficiency, and sacks. 

But how far can the Broncos go if their offense keeps tripping over Sean Payton’s playbook? Fans sure didn’t hold back in calling out Sean Payton’s playcalling after Thursday’s game. 

Fans blast Sean Payton for poor playcalling against the Raiders

The Broncos just won 10-7 against the Raiders on Thursday Night Football, but it was not enough. Fans were still furious with the way Sean Payton went about his playcalling in this game. 

“What the f*ck is Sean Payton doing? This play calling is dogsh*t. What the f*ck is Bo supposed to do?” one fan wrote online. Another fan added, “That defense wasn’t fooled for even half a second. They were already in the backfield before the ball even moved.” And the fan was right.

Sean Payton’s trick play did not fool the Raiders’ defense, despite their ranking around the bottom of the league. 

Nevertheless, Bo Nix finished the game 16-of-28 for 150 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. As such, some fans defended the QB, arguing that Payton’s play design is the real problem.

“8-2 my brotha! Next week, he goes for 260 2TDs and 30 yards rushing. If you’re not a Bronco fan, you don’t understand how this team plays. Everybody blames Bo, but Sean Payton’s play calling is terrible,” wrote one fan. 

And maybe they have a point. Why force trick plays on short-yardage downs when your running game can get the job done? One fan summed it up best: 

“Sean Payton needs to let go of his pride. If he cannot commit to the running game and let Bo work the intermediate game off play action, then he needs to give the play sheet to Davis Webb on game days. This man is stubborn. Been saying for 2 years Sean Payton, the OC is terrible.”

Moreover, the Broncos might be 8-2, but wins can only cover up so much. With a defense this good, the offense doesn’t need to be flashy – it just needs to be smart. The question now is: will Sean Payton learn from this, or will his playcalling continue to hold Denver back?