Sean Payton Sends Broncos Message Following a ‘tough loss’ against the Chiefs
Despite the Denver Broncos’ fifth loss of the season, Sean Payton was not about to give in to defeat.
The Denver Broncos were defeated 19-8 by the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, their 16th consecutive loss. Although the Broncos defense played admirably, the offense struggled to create a rhythm.
The Broncos offense and special teams spoiled Kansas City with turnovers and short fields. Russell Wilson completed 13-of-22 throws for 95 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two costly interceptions.
The Broncos went 4-for-10 on third down. In fact, the Chiefs started several of their possessions just outside of their 40-yard line.
On the flip side, the Broncos defense was able to limit the Chiefs’ offensive firepower. Patrick Mahomes completed 30-of-40 passes for 306 yards passing and a touchdown, and was picked off once. The Chiefs went 1-for-5 in the red zone.
Post-game, Sean Payton emphasized several things that went well at Arrowhead and touched on a few that did not go so well. But despite the disappointment, the Broncos’ head coach had an air of optimism about his remarks.
“I said this (to the team) not five minutes ago that I’m not discouraged,” Payton said Thursday night. “I thought they played particularly hard defensively and did a great job with red zone defense, which was outstanding. Offensively, we struggled… our third down numbers were poor.
Despite the loss, Payton is not going to lose sleep as he was satisfied with the effort the team showed on the short week:
“We played an imperfect game, but I was pleased, as I thought we had great effort and energy tonight,” Payton said. “On a short week, it’s still a tough loss, but I thought we played hard, and it’s not always good enough, especially when you turn the ball over, but I was encouraged with how we played mentally and physically.”
Now 1-5, the Broncos have a couple extra days to regroup before facing the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. The schedule also grows more difficult, with a rematch against the Chiefs in two weeks and a game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9.
Although Payton is not disheartened, weaknesses with this team are exposed on a weekly basis. It’s becoming clear how they contribute to this failing culture.
Are there any positive aspects about the Broncos? Sure. However, before the Broncos can retake their place at the table of NFL importance, the entire organization must be re-evaluated.
