Sean Payton is happy the Broncos have shown some fight. He’s just ready for that fight to start earlier.
Denver sits at 3-2, and all three of its wins have come with late drama. The Broncos had to mount fourth-quarter comebacks against the Jaguars, Rams and Chargers just to get those victories in the bank.
That kind of resilience can be a useful trait, especially with an elite defense and Bo Nix showing he can handle pressure. But it also means Denver keeps putting itself in the same stressful spot over and over.
After practice Tuesday, Payton was asked about the trend, and he made it clear he can live with the confidence but not the routine.
“I like the fact that there’s that confidence that you’re in a game. And then, we talked at the onset of the season I think, you guys heard it from me that it’d be nice to play well earlier and not constantly put ourselves in that position,” Sean Payton said.
That frustration comes from watching games tilt the wrong way before Denver’s offense finally catches up. Against the Chargers on Sunday, the Broncos were up 10-3 at halftime, only to fall behind 17-10 in a hurry before pulling out an ugly 23-17 win.
The pattern has been even starker in other games, including a 10-3 halftime deficit to Jacksonville and a 16-0 hole against the L.A. Rams.
Payton said the league’s weekly unpredictability is part of the equation.
“Each week, the opponent can vary, the game can unfold differently. And so sometimes that happens where you’re at halftime and you would’ve never projected that score,” Sean Payton said.
Still, the message hasn’t changed: the fast starts need to arrive before the comeback script does.
Denver gets another chance quickly, with the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks coming to town in just about 48 hours on a short week. If the Broncos stumble out of the gate again at Empower Field at Mile High, the crowd may let them hear about it. And based on how these first five games have gone, that wouldn’t be hard to understand.
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Broncos Suddenly Face A Brutal Thursday Test In The Secondary
Denver is staring at a quick turnaround with its secondary suddenly in rough shape for Thursday nights game against Seattle. The Broncos are already planning without Patrick Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga, a pair of important defensive backs whose absence changes the look of the back end just as the team prepares for a Seahawks offense that still has plenty of passing-game firepower.
The concern gets sharper with Riley Moss listed as questionable because of a rib injury, which could leave Denver stretched thin in a key area of the field. Seattle has some injury issues of its own, including linebacker Drake Thomas, linebacker Chazz Surratt and running back Zach Charbonnet, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Leonard Williams are expected to play, so the Broncos may still be looking at a demanding test under the prime-time lights. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Face A Brutal Week 6 Test In The Secondary
Denvers secondary is heading into Week 6 with some real uncertainty as it prepares for Seattle, and the timing is hardly ideal. Patrick Surtain II and Talanoa Hufanga are both out with ankle injuries, while Riley Moss is listed as questionable, leaving the Broncos thinner than usual in a part of the defense that is usually built to travel and match up.
Seattle brings a clear focal point in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has become the centerpiece of the passing game and the kind of receiver Denver has to account for on every snap. With the back end shorthanded, the Broncos may have to lean on coverage adjustments and a steadier pass rush to keep the Seahawks from dictating the rhythm of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Pass Rush Hinges On Jonathon Coopers Uncertain NFL Status
Jonathon Coopers status has become one of the key questions hovering over Denvers pass rush as the outside linebacker remains on the NFL commissioners exempt list while his domestic violence case continues. The league is monitoring the matter under its personal conduct policy, leaving the Broncos in a holding pattern with a player who had been part of their edge-rushing plans and now cannot take the field while the process plays out.
The uncertainty is especially tricky because there is still a path, however unsettled, for Cooper to be back during the middle of the season if circumstances change. For now, though, Denver has to plan without knowing when or whether he will be available, and that lingering unknown could shape how the Broncos manage one of their most important defensive spots for weeks to come. [Read more 🡒]