EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsINGLEWOOD, Calif. - The numbers weren't pretty and there were times the Denver Broncos' offense was mired in neutral, but coach Sean Payton's return to playcalling duties ended with a 23-17 win Sunday over the Los Angeles Chargers."The guys compartmentalize things pretty well,'' Payton said. "Honestly, I didn't have a big kumbaya meeting.''Payton did publicly announce Thursday he had decided to take away playcalling duties from offensive coordinator Davis Webb earlier in the week and re-install himself as the team's playcaller. The Broncos (3-2) entered Sunday's game near the bottom of the league in most statistical categories on offense, including scoring (27th), total yards per game (27th) and rushing yards per game (29th).But those rankings may not improve much given Payton's return as the voice in quarterback Bo Nix's ear was a choppy affair at best. The team's 224 net yards was the second-lowest output of the season, they were 1-of-12 on third down and Nix's 123 passing yards was the second-lowest total in a game of his career.But the win, over the winless Chargers, did provide some balm after a potentially distracting week."It's successful with a win, that's all that matters, we got one in the W column, no matter what's happening,'' Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey said. "At that the end of the day that's all that matters and we did. (But) I don't really give a lot of thought to that, whoever calls it, I haul it. That's my philosophy on it.''Payton lauded Webb's approach through the week, in the preparation for the game, and how Webb handled the change publicly as well. Payton had said Friday he had informed Webb he was going to make the change the day after the Broncos' Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers."It's difficult, it's really difficult and I appreciate him,'' Payton said."I thought Davis handled it really well, it wasn't easy ... especially with social media and everything, everybody hears about it, knows about it,'' Nix said. "He did a really good job, continued to put his head down and help put the plan together and coach ... he responded really well even though it wasn't easy. But I don't expect anything different from him because this is serious to him and he knows he's got a big future.''Payton said he wanted to have more balance between the run and pass as well as to reduce "the calorie count'' in the game plan for Nix. The Broncos did run the ball (29 carries) more than they threw it Sunday (27 attempts), but there was limited success all around in a game the Broncos trailed 17-10 at the start of the fourth quarter.On four of the Broncos' five scoring drives in the game, including their three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, the Broncos' defense gave the team the ball in Chargers territory. In the fourth quarter alone, the Broncos forced the Chargers to turn the ball over on downs at the Los Angeles 41-yard line, intercepted Justin Herbert at the Chargers' 34 and recovered a Herbert fumble at the Chargers' 23."Essentially four big game-changers,'' Payton said of the defense's work. "You're always looking for small steps, there was some things that were good ... I've got to be a little bit better too, some of those calls, relative to protection.''
