Mile High Report
Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos just had their biggest win as a team.
Overcoming a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter against the then-undefeated defending Super Bowl champions was impressive. Next up is the lowly New York Jets, a winless team but one that will fight and scrap.
The key for Broncos head coach Sean Payton and his coaching staff, as well as the leadership, is to put the win over the Eagles behind them.
“We preach the 24-hour rule after a win or a loss,” Payton told the media on Friday in London. “Matter of fact, you enjoy that win until your eyes go to sleep, and then when you wake up, you have a new set of problems, players that are injured, maybe not injured, a new team. So you get that time. When you play a day game, you have a little longer time. When you play a night game, you catch up on your sleep. I think the focus has been good.”
The other factor at play for Denver is the old “trap” game. After all, the Broncos are now playing a winless team, and they just beat the defending champs on the road. It’s natural to have a let-up.
“I think the line between the talent difference and the team it’s much different than if you were at Auburn or Alabama playing, I don’t want to name a school,” Payton said. “This is a league where you have to be ready to play. Regardless of who you’re playing up to or down, you see it every week, and that’s because the talent level …
“Everything’s set up; there’s a hard salary cap, and the teams that didn’t do as well will draft early. Everything’s set up for this parity, which is exciting. If you put the Red Zone channel on and you watch the finish of all these games, they’re all … Then there’s always one, maybe two that are more than a one-score lead, but the rest are all down to a field goal, two-minute drive for a touchdown. That’s our league.”
And while today’s game is technically a road game, that was the case the last time the Broncos played in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars. And Broncos Country completely took over Wembley Stadium. The same will happen today, especially since the team is better than it was three years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if Tottenham Stadium is even more in favor than Wembley.
“It’s important because if you’re an away team playing here, there’s a neutral buzz to the crowd noise,” Payton said to the press in London. “Sometimes, if this were a road trip, literally, you’d be in silent snap count. You might be able to use your audio snap count. There’s a buzz, but it’s not like that planned crowd noise that happens on third down. So it’s a little different. … There’s a good feeling to it. They’re going to have the chance. We’re going to hear...
