The Denver Broncos won in Christmas at Arrowhead. After battling and sweeping the Kansas City Chiefs, Sean Payton sent quite a controversial message regarding how his team keeps winning game.
During the postgame press conference, Sean Payton said was asked about the close game against a very injured Chiefs team. In typical Sean Payton fashion, he said, “Here’s the thing: You ready? It doesn’t have to be aesthetically pleasing.”
Not only that, Payton went even further. At the two-minute warning, the game was tied 13-13, and the Broncos faced a fourth and two situation. Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones flinched into the neutral zone and that gave the Broncos a fresh set of downs.
However, Payton said the offense was never going to snap the ball on that fourth down. “We were going to take the penalty and kick the field goal. That was the plan, and it was just an oddball formation to run a no-brainer freeze from. Especially on the road,” Payton said. That pretty much reaffirmed the “doesn’t have to be aesthetically pleasing” idea.
Broncos are fully aware of who they are
In a league where many teams want to be flashy, the Broncos want to win, no matter how it looks. While others try to win and be dominant, the Broncos refer to their league-best 13-3 record to believe their dominance.
And when you look at the Broncos roster, it goes well with Payton’s ideology. Bo Nix isn’t the flashiest of quarterbacks, the scheme isn’t incredibly creative, it’s just incredibly effective. And, to end it all, Payton is a masterful playcaller. Hence, they all walk the same path of winning without needing it to be aesthetically pleasing.
The Broncos still haven’t won the AFC West
Despite being 13-3, the Broncos haven’t sealed their divisional title. In fact, they could very well lose it. Right now, the Chargers hold an 11-4 record, but if they beat the Texans, they will be one game away from the Broncos, and they hold the tiebreaker against Denver.
And as poetic as the NFL is, the Broncos host the Chargers in Week 18 for the divisional title. This of course depends on the Chargers beating the Texans on Saturday. This might not only define the AFC West, but also the first seed in the AFC.