ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos have the worst first-half scoring offense in the NFL.

“We can’t ignore the fact that it has to be better earlier,” Sean Payton stated.

In the first three weeks of the season, the Broncos have scored 10 points in the first half. Combined. That ranks dead last in the NFL.

And it’s not trending in the right direction.

In Week 1, the Broncos scored seven points in the first half in their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The following week, they only put up three points in their win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. And last week, Denver didn’t get on the scoreboard in the first half.

“We certainly recognize it’s not good, but that has to improve and it’s not just me up here talking,” Payton explained, after admitting their first-half struggles. “It’s in the beginning periods of practice, the opening sequence both offensively and defensively. When I go through the PowerPoints right now, the Week 3 rankings, we don’t even look at. We just recognize it isn’t good. It has to improve. It’s not just… Believe me, there’s a lot we’re doing to create those scenarios of starting.”

While there are certainly a number of factors contributing to Denver’s struggles early in games, the head coach pointed to one specific area that has contributed to the slow starts.

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