After going 8-9 in Sean Payton’s first season last fall, the Denver Broncos are now just one win away from improving on their 2023 record. With a win against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, the Broncos would improve to 9-5, clinching their first winning season since 2016 under Gary Kubiak.
So, how does it feel to be one game away from a winning season?
“I don’t know that one person downstairs — myself included — has thought about right now this team just having a winning season,” Payton said Monday. “I understand the question and I appreciate it, but I think our aspirations are a little higher.”
Payton has bigger expectations than just finishing above .500, and that’s exactly why the team’s ownership group acquired him in 2023. Payton is a demanding coach and while the club had made progress under over the last two years, he’s still not satisfied.
“You do want to be, [No. 1], playing for something and playing with confidence, but then also hopefully you’re eliminating some of the mistakes,” Payton said of late-season football. “Our penalty numbers are still problematic.
“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.”
Overall, Denver has been penalized 83 times this season, 13th-most in the NFL. In the secondary, the Broncos have 12 pass interference penalties, tied for fourth-most in the league. Both sides of the ball have shown great progress from a year ago, but there’s still work to be done.
Coming out of their bye week, Denver will look to finish strong and clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2015. The first task on deck is beating the Colts at home in Week 15.
