The Denver Broncos knew entering their Thursday night clash against the Kansas City Chiefs that this was going to be one of, if not the most difficult game they'll have for the entire 2023 NFL season. Not only will they have to overcome the reigning Super Bowl champion, they also had to do so at Arrowhead Stadium, all the while being 10.5-point underdogs on the night. Thus, Russell Wilson had to be on point for Sean Payton's team to stand a puncher's chance at pulling off an unlikely upset.

Suffice to say, Wilson did not have a good night passing the ball. In fact, it was an all-around offensive nightmare for a Broncos team that got swallowed up time and time again by a suffocating Chiefs defense. But the buck starts with the Broncos QB; Wilson had a terrible outing, completing just 13 of his 22 passing attempts on the night for an eye-poppingly low 95 yards. Moreover, the 34-year old QB threw two interceptions against just one touchdown, as if his night couldn't get any worse.

In the aftermath of Russell Wilson's terrible night, Broncos head coach Sean Payton called out the players involved in the passing game, none more prominent than Wilson himself, without naming names.

“To win in our league you've got to be better throwing the ball,” Payton told reporters after the Broncos' 19-8 defeat to the Chiefs, per Mike Klis of 9NEWS.

That is an understatement, as it's difficult to win in the NFL, especially with the way the game has relied more and more on the passing game, if a quarterback cannot breach the 100-yard mark in terms of passing yardage. It was a mismatch at the point of attack, as Patrick Mahomes tallied 306 yards on 40 attempts, while the Broncos appeared to make it a point to avoid relying on the passing game too much.

The Broncos are sort of facing a chicken-and-egg situation; of course, they'd like to utilize the passing game more often, but if Russell Wilson continues to struggle, then it may be time to give the ball more often to the likes of Javonte Williams. But if the Broncos' passing game doesn't click, then how will Williams have the space to flourish?

Now with a 1-5 record, there are no easy answers for Sean Payton on how to cure this ailing Broncos offense.