The Denver Broncos enjoyed their bye week last week as they gear up for a tough four-game stretch that will determine whether or not they’ll make the playoffs. How did Payton spend his bye week, and what was his focus for the team in these final four games?
Denver Broncos gearing up for tough four-game stretch
There were a lot of questions Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton could have been asked coming out of the team’s Week 14 bye as they prepare for the Indianapolis Colts in a must-win game this upcoming Sunday.
Some of those questions could have been asked… what’s the key to getting the run game going in these final four games? Could you change up some personnel in the run game to see if a spark gets created? If Riley Moss continues to miss time, is the team still going to roll with Levi Wallace as the starter opposite of Patrick Surtain II? We didn’t get those questions or answers from Payton on his Monday conference call.
Instead of those, Payton addressed several key points as the team goes into Week 15. Penalties have been a problem for Denver on both sides of the ball, but primarily, it’s kept the offense behind the chains on a consistent basis this year. The Broncos have been penalized 105 times this season for 746 yards, and that’s something that Payton would like to see cleaned up in these final four games.
“Our penalty numbers are still problematic,” Payton said. “I don’t like our penalties relative to the offensive line. We’re near the bottom of the league in that category. We’re in the bottom of the league relative to the secondary. Those have to get cleaned up, or they’ll end up costing you.”
Broncos rookie CB earns praise
Cornerback Riley Moss’ status for Sunday is unclear, and Payton doesn’t address injuries in his pressers, but after the struggles from veteran Levi Wallace on Monday Night Football, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph ultimately put rookie cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine into the game.
“Good,” Payton said. “He’s smart. He has a savviness to him. I think he’s getting stronger physically. I thought he handled his role [well] Monday night, going in there and playing. I thought he had a pretty good game in the kicking game. That’s important. So overall, I was pleased.”
This doesn’t give any precise indicator as to whether or not he’ll play in Moss’ place if he’s not ready to return from his MCL injury, but it’s worth monitoring this week as Denver prepares for a Colts team that loves to take deep shots downfield.
Broncos aspirations higher than just a winning season
A win on Sunday would give the Broncos a guaranteed finish of having at least a winning season. Last year, they won eight total games, and at worst, they’d finish with the same record if they lost the final four games.
Depending on how the team comes out of the bye week, a win on Sunday against the Colts would give them nine wins on the year, which would be their first winning season since 2016. However, Payton says he and the team have higher ambitions.
“I don’t know that one person downstairs—myself included—has thought about right now this team just having a winning season,” Payton said. “I understand the question and I appreciate it, but I think our aspirations are a little higher.”
Let’s look at some hypotheticals here. The Broncos’ schedule on paper is tough, but a win against the Colts puts them at nine, and then they’ll have a short turnaround against a very tough Los Angeles Chargers team, which is 8-5 as well. After LA, they’ll face the Cincinnati Bengals, who could be eliminated from the postseason by tomorrow if they lose on Monday Night Football, and then they’ll wrap up in Week 18 against the Kansas City Chiefs, who may be in a position to rest their starters. The best-case scenario is that the Broncos prove they belong, win their final four games, and somehow come away with 12 wins in the year. The middle-case scenario is that they win two or three of these final four games and make it to the postseason. The worst-case scenario would be them dropping these final four games, finishing with the same record as last year, and missing the postseason, which seems a little unlikely considering what we have seen from this team.
Regardless, the Broncos’ future looks bright, and they’ll need to take care of business and prove they belong. That’s the challenge Payton is looking for his team to answer.