At the start of training camp, Broncos coach Sean Payton gushed about how running back Javonte Williams had arrived in such great shape. He had lost 11 pounds to get down to 221 and appeared primed for a better season.

So far that hardly has been the case.

Through two games, Williams has carried 19 times for 40 yards for an anemic average of 2.1. In Sunday’s 13-6 home opener loss to Pittsburgh, he had 11 carries for 17 yards for an even worse average of 1.5 yards per carry.

The Broncos have had all sorts of problems running the ball in their 0-2 start. And it won’t help that right tackle Mike McGlinchey suffered a knee injury late in the game against the Steelers and will miss about a month. NFL Media reported that the injury is a “significant MCL sprain.’’

Speaking on a conference call Monday before news about McGlinchey surfaced, Payton addressed the need to get Williams back on track.

“I’d say it’s probably a collection of all of us,’’ said Payton, whose Broncos next play Sunday at Tampa Bay. “Let’s start with design and scheme, and then let’s get into some execution. I just finished looking at a play that (Williams) gained three yards, and it really should be a gain of seven yards. How are we blocking the backside of this? Do we need to clean that up? He misses a cut or two in the game. We need to make sure we get his eyes where they need to be.”

Williams gained 903 yards rushing as a rookie in 2021 before suffering a serious season-ending knee injury in October 2022. He has yet to regain his previous form but did have some moments early last season. But Williams, who rushed for 774 yards with a 3.6 average in 2023, fell off considerably late in the year.

Going back to last season, Williams has had 12 straight games of averaging less than four yards per carry, including averaging less than three yards per attempt in five of the past six games.

“We just have to stay more consistent and just keep our head down and keep getting to it,’’ Williams said after Sunday’s game about the running game in general. “We’re all professionals. … We know how to run the ball and get things done, but you got to go out there and show it.”

Williams isn’t the only Denver runner struggling. Through two games, Jaleel McLaughlin, who ran for 410 yards as a rookie last season while averaging 5.4 per carry, has has 13 carries for 33 yards for a 2.5 average.

The Broncos are averaging 81.5 yards per game rushing with a per-carry average of 3.7. Take out rookie quarterback Bo Nix leading the way with 35 yards on the ground in the Sept. 8 opener at Seattle and 25 against the Steelers, and running backs are averaging just 51.5 yards per game with a per-carry average of 2.9.

After running back Audric Estime hurt his ankle in the opener and was placed on injured reserve, Tyler Badie was elevated from the practice squad to face the Steelers and had a 16-yard run in the second quarter on his first carry. But he didn’t get another attempt the rest of the game.

Payton, who calls the offensive plays, said it can be difficult to get a third back involved after Williams and McLaughlin.

“It’s something as a play caller, as someone who’s looking at the game, I’ve got to be able to see that,’’ Payton said. “(Badie) is a player, though, who had his name on a lot of different plays that either were red zone or situational plays that we weren’t able to get to. It’s not intentional. … You’re just into the flow of the game and you have to be better that way.”

Payton later said the Broncos need to get more touches for Williams and for McLaughlin. Williams was valuable in the passing game against the Steelers, having a team-high five catches for 48 yards.

But Denver had just 19 running plays against Pittsburgh while Nix threw 35 passes and was sacked on two other drop backs. That hardly was the plan entering the game for the Broncos, who want to keep as much pressure as they can off the rookie.

“There was definitely an emphasis on the running game this week, and it really sucks to fall short again,’’ guard Quinn Meinerz said after Sunday’s game.

Meinerz and guard Ben Powers both said the offensive line must do a better job in the run game. But the loss of McGlinchey, regarded as a better run than pass blocker, hurts. He will be replaced either by Alex Palczewski, who was in for the final two plays of the game that McGlinchey missed, or by Matt Peart.

“I think he’s definitely one of the top tackles in the league, so (losing McGlinchey is) obviously going to be a blow,’’ Broncos defensive end Zach Allensaid, adding he is confident his replacement will do well.

Wide receiver Josh Reynolds said continued improvement in the passing game also would aid the run game.

“We just got to start faster in both aspects of the game,’’ he said. “Complete passes and then ultimately the run game opens. For the most part, the run game has to get started to open up the pass game. So it works hand in hand both ways.”

So how important is the run game for the Broncos? In Payton’s first season of 2023, they averaged 117.4 yards on the ground in their eight wins. In their nine losses, they averaged 96.8.