A win is not always the sole objective for a head coach, and Sean Payton has proven that. After defeating the Browns in Week 13, the Denver Broncos‘ head coach delivered a stern warning to his players about how they managed the game against Cleveland.
Last year, the Broncos made one of the most shocking moves in recent NFL history. Frustrated by persistent coaching problems, the AFC West club traded a 1st- and 2nd-round pick to the Saints to acquire the rights to Sean Payton’s contract.
His first campaign was far from ideal, ending with an 8-9 record. However, the 2024 NFL season has shown clear improvement for Denver, as they hold an 8-5 record after 13 weeks, putting them firmly in playoff contention.
Sean Payton sends message to the Broncos’ defense after ugly win vs. Browns
The Broncos are heading into their Bye week with a solid 8-5 record. The AFC West team currently occupies a Wild Card spot and is eager to return to the playoffs after a nine-year absence.
Their eighth victory of the season came against the Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. Denver was considered the clear favorite, but Cleveland made it a challenging contest, nearly pulling off an upset.
With a final score of 41-32, the Broncos managed to secure the win, but the game came dangerously close to slipping away. The Browns had a late opportunity to take a 35-34 lead, but Ja’Quan McMillian’s pick-six ultimately sealed the victory for Denver.
The Broncos boast one of the best defenses in the NFL, which made allowing 32 points at home a cause for concern. For this reason, Sean Payton issued a strong warning to his players about their performance in this hard-fought win over Cleveland.
“Obviously, when we go back and look at that tape, we are going to look at a lot of things defensively that we would have done differently,” Payton said, via the team’s website. “We have to. We had two interceptions for touchdowns and a third interception. I told them in the locker room that it was not pretty, and yet in the end, we did what we had to do, especially late.”
What’s next for the Broncos?
As noted earlier, the Broncos are heading into their Week 14 Bye with a respectable 8-5 record. They currently hold the 7th seed in the AFC, which secures them the final Wild Card spot as they aim to solidify their playoff position.
- Week 14 – BYE
- Week 15 vs. Indianapolis Colts
- Week 16 @ Los Angeles Chargers
- Week 17 @ Cincinnati Bengals
- Week 18 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
SURVEY Will the Broncos make it to the playoffs this season?
Will the Broncos make it to the playoffs this season?
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