The main focus leading up to the Thursday night game between the Broncos and the Saints was head coach Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans.
Payton became one of the most successful coaches of his time mainly because of the offense he built with the Saints.
Now in his second year with the Broncos, it’s the defense of his team that has been key to their recent success.
Coaches are judged by how well their whole team performs, not just the part they focus on. Payton is proving he can lead a team to success in different ways.
The situation of Payton and the two teams he has coached highlights how hard it is to maintain success in the NFL.
After resigning from the Saints in 2021, Payton watched from the visitors’ sideline in the Caesars Superdome for the first time as the Denver defense shut down the injury-plagued New Orleans offense, winning 33-10.
The Broncos (4-3) won their fourth game in five tries, allowing an average of only 11 points in their victories. In their three losses, they gave up 26, 13, and 23 points.
Denver didn’t allow a touchdown until less than 90 seconds left in the game and held the Saints’ offense to just 271 yards, with almost a third of that coming after they had a 30-point lead. It was a clear win for one team and a total failure for the other.
Payton hopes that rookie No. 1 draft pick Bo Nix can become the leader of an offense that might match the one Drew Brees led for 15 years. Under Payton, those teams made nine playoff appearances and won New Orleans’ only Super Bowl after the 2009 season.
For now, the strong performance of the defense allows Payton to be patient with Nix.
Nix threw for only 164 yards against the Saints, but he also ran for 75 yards on 10 carries. Javonte Williams contributed with two rushing touchdowns and 111 total yards.
Ironically, while Payton’s team is improving mainly because of its defense, Dennis Allen, who took over for Payton after being successful as his defensive coordinator, has seen his own defense decline.
Now with a record of 2-5, Allen’s team has lost five games in a row. The Broncos ran for 225 yards, just days after the Saints allowed 227 rushing yards (and 594 total yards) in a 51-27 home loss to Tampa Bay.
Denver settled for field goals from Wil Lutz four times, but that wasn’t an issue since New Orleans’ offense struggled against the fourth-ranked defense in the NFL.
Rookie fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler made his second start in place of injured Derek Carr, completing 25 of 35 passes for 172 yards. He was missing his top two wide receivers, Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed, who had knee surgery on Thursday and will likely be out for the rest of the season. Rattler was also sacked five times and lost two fumbles behind a patched-up offensive line.
The result gave Payton a win against the last of the 32 NFL teams he hadn’t beaten before, marking a success against his former team.
While his current team is climbing in the AFC standings, his old team is struggling in the NFC.
If these trends continue, New Orleans might be looking for a new head coach for the second time in four years after Payton held that role for 16 years. From the looks of things, Payton is just beginning his journey in Denver.
