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Broncos’ Sean Payton reveals inspiring message after beating Raiders

Originally posted on NFL on ClutchPoints
By Matt De Lima | Last updated Nov 25, 2024 3:42 PM ET

Sean Payton believes it’s more than just Bo Nix. That’s just a part of the message conveyed by Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. The transformation from last season to now is more than just a quarterback change. And Sean Payton paid forward that compliment to his team after their win on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, per DNVR’s Zac Stevens.

“I said this to them: The elite teams in 17 regular-season games will be really ready-ready for 13 or 14 of those games,” Payton said. “The ones that are not, they still find a way to win. They may lose a few, but they find a way still. I said to them today, our team a year ago doesn’t win this game. But this team did. You build some grit. We won the turnover battle again. We were the better team today. We didn’t always play like it, but we’ll get those things cleaned up.

“I’m just talking about what I see with the mental toughness, the grit, fortitude. How they work has been – this is an entirely different team from a year ago. And then, that’s no discredit to last year’s team. Just is what it is. … Credit Vegas. They came out and had some fire about ’em. But they lost.”

The Broncos struggled to run the ball, rushing for just 63 yards on 22 carries for a 2.9 ypc average. But Denver forced two turnovers and limited Las Vegas to just one touchdown on their five trips to the red zone. After a back and forth first half, the Broncos outscored the Raiders 20-6 in the second half. They put the game away and came up with big stops to force field goals.

The Broncos improved to 7-5 with their 29-19 win, holding the No. 7 seed in the AFC. Vegas dropped to 2-9 and are the last seed in the AFC playoff picture, although they are not mathematically eliminated from contention yet.

Broncos, Sean Payton can’t let up

Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton reacts in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Although Las Vegas has some buffer between them and the 5-6 Miami Dolphins, the first team on the playoff bubble, the Raiders schedule isn’t cutting them much slack. They still have divisional foes like the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs upcoming over their final five games.

But how much does Payton believe in his team? So much so that he accepted a schedule flex change in Week 16 during that game against the Chargers, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. The Broncos-Chargers matchup is now on Thursday night.

“Payton knows his team inside and out and believes in Nix’s ability to handle the bright lights of prime time,” Russini said. “Some of it is also to push all his young players to get comfortable with the big moments. Instead of shying away from the spotlight, the Broncos are leaning into it. It’s all part of Payton’s vision.”

The Broncos host the Browns in Week 13 on Monday, December 2 at 8:15 p.m. EST.

This article first appeared on NFL on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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