Do the Broncos Have a 3rd Down PROBLEM? & What's the Best Solution? | Film Room

The Denver Broncos have struggled on third down early in the 2026 NFL season, but the biggest issue may be how often they’re throwing the ball in short-yardage situations. We break down Bo Nix, Sean Payton’s play-calling, Denver’s shotgun vs. under-center numbers, and why the Broncos have converted 6 of 7 third-and-short runs compared to just 2 of 7 passes. From JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey to the offensive line’s success creating enough space, the film shows why running the football could be the simplest solution. Do the Broncos really have a third-down problem, or do they just need to trust the run game more? Timestamps: 0:00 - Broncos Third-Down Problem 0:54 - First Third-and-One 2:32 - Shotgun vs Under Center 3:05 - Jaguars Short-Yardage 5:29 - Third-Down Formation Stats 6:20 - Under Center Failure 7:33 - Broncos Run Success 8:13 - Run vs Pass 8:56 - Passing Game Issues 9:52 - Bo Nix Sneak 10:33 - Final Short-Yardage Play 10:58 - Best Third-Down Solution #nfl #football #denverbroncos #broncos #broncoscountry #broncosnews #bonix #seanpayton Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.