Payton’s Broncos on the wrong end of a blowout

Ed Daniels, Sports

If you are a Saints fan, it has been a long week till this Sunday.

But, take solace. At least you aren’t Sean Payton.

The Broncos head coach, who called last year’s coaching job by his predecessor Nathaniel Hackett one of the worst coaching performances in the NFL, watched his team give up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins.

It was the most points scored in an NFL game in 57 years.

Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw three incompletions. The Dolphins didn’t know it, but they could have saved a roster spot on Sunday by deactivating their punter.

He punted one time.

Payton put a target on his back throughout the NFL when he went off on Hackett in the summer. He quickly apologized, but the damage was done. My guess is, last Sunday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

The trade the Broncos made for quarterback Russell Wilson stripped them of two first-round picks and two second-round selections.

And, another first-round pick went to the Saints in the trade for Payton’s rights. That pick turned into defensive tackle Bryan Bresee, who the Broncos could use in the middle of their porous defense.

In a 70-20 win, the Dolphins ran for 350 yards, averaging 8.1 yards per carry.

On a Sunday in late September in south Florida, Payton’s own words, spoken this summer, rang true.

“It doesn’t happen often where an NFL team or organization gets embarrassed.”

Ouch. And, for the former Saints head coach, it won’t get any easier.

Payton resides in the same division with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has never lost to the Broncos in his NFL career. Kansas City’s 

win streak against Denver is 15 games. The last time the Broncos defeated Kansas City, Peyton Manning was the Broncos quarterback.

And, Payton also resides in the same division with the Los Angeles Chargers, who are an outstanding head coach away from being a big winner. They have a talented quarterback in Justin Herbert and some very good players on defense.

But, for some unknown reason, their head coach Brandon Staley went for it on fourth-and-1 at his 24-yard line, with a four point lead, and 1:51 left to play at Minnesota.

The Chargers didn’t make it, but their defense bailed them out with an interception in the end zone in the final seconds.

Oh well. Staley must have been relying on the analytics.

Payton has no such worries. He just inherited a bad team, with a limited future, in a tough division. At least he gets to play the Raiders twice a season.

In the meantime, there are a lot of folks, especially in New Orleans, who are gloating over Payton’s misfortune. They don’t like the fact that instead of rebuilding the Saints, he bailed.

Me? I am pulling for Payton. His arrogance is one of his worst traits, but it is also one of his best. He’s an outstanding football coach. Yes, outstanding.

But, if he wins anytime soon in Denver, he will make Harry Houdini look like an ordinary Joe.

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