Sean Payton again challenges Broncos fans ahead of playoff game vs. Bills

Before the Denver Broncos officially claimed home-field advantage for the AFC portion of the playoffs, Broncos head coach Sean Payton challenged Denver fans to create a "deafening" atmosphere during postseason games. 

The Broncos now know that they will welcome the Buffalo Bills to Empower Field at Mile High for a divisional-round showdown on Saturday. While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Payton once again addressed what he expects to hear from members of the Denver faithful.

When Sean Payton wants Broncos fans to be loud

"I keep saying this," Payton explained, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "For years, we were conditioned to raise the noise level when they broke the huddle. The noise level needs to be loudest when they enter the huddle. That’s a huge advantage."

This past Sunday, the crowd noise inside EverBank Stadium didn't stop Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen from guiding his offense on a late nine-play, 66-yard touchdown drive against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Buffalo then iced the game away via an interception. 

That said, first-year New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and some of his players credited New England fans for helping the club earn a 16-3 home playoff victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Why Sean Payton wanted the Broncos to earn the No. 1 playoff seed

Per Alexander Kirk of Denver's 9News, Payton essentially wants Denver fans to scream their faces off for even "just half" of Buffalo's offensive snaps. 

"Home field is important relative to the crowd noise," Payton added. "I know our crowd will be fantastic. We’ve got to be ready to play our best game." 

The 2025 Broncos went 8-1 at home, with their only loss being a 34-20 Week 16 defeat against the Jaguars in December. Meanwhile, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio noted on Tuesday night that the Bills initially opened as 1.5-point betting favorites over the Broncos. As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Denver as a 1.5-point home favorite. 

"I can’t control that," Payton said about the line. "I don’t. We don’t pay attention to that, honestly."

For what it's worth, history shows Payton's players do pay attention to such things and even use lines as bulletin-board material heading into a game.