Sean Payton wasn’t overly thrilled with the Denver Broncos’ 28-14 win over the Carolina Panthers, despite the solid scoreline.
The Broncos allowed the Panthers to score on their first and last drives but dominated in between, racking up 28 straight points. When asked about his team’s defensive effort against Panthers QB Bryce Young, Payton didn’t hold back.
“I wish we had finished stronger,” he said, according to the team’s official transcript. “It wasn’t a great offense we faced today, to be honest. We expected more, and we’ll definitely see better teams ahead.”
Known for his straightforward comments, Payton spent 15 seasons competing against the Panthers when he was with the New Orleans Saints, where he had an 18-13 record against the divisional rivals.
While the Broncos held the Panthers to just 284 yards and 16 first downs, Payton still felt the team could have executed better toward the end, especially with a tough matchup against Baltimore coming up in Week 9.
“I’ll sleep just fine, but we’ve got a big game next week against a much better team,” Payton said, when asked if Sunday’s frustrations would carry into their preparations.
On the offensive side, rookie quarterback Bo Nix had a standout performance against the struggling Panthers defense. He completed 28 of 37 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions, and even added a rushing touchdown. Nix set career highs in several areas, including completion percentage (75.7%) and passer rating (124.2).
With a big lead in the fourth quarter, Payton tried to keep the momentum going. He called a fake field goal that didn’t work out, and a wide receiver pass from Courtland Sutton that turned into a big gain on a crucial fourth-and-2 play. However, Sutton fumbled inside the 10-yard line while the Broncos were up by three scores.
After the game, Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn seemed to confront Payton, accusing him of “trying to run up the score.”
Despite downplaying the Panthers as opponents, Payton acknowledged that there’s still plenty to learn from the game.
“We’re going to review this tape closely,” Payton said. “Sometimes, after a loss, you miss things that actually went well, and after a win, if you’re not careful, you can overlook areas that need improvement. So we’ll focus on that tomorrow and then get ready for a much tougher challenge with Baltimore.”
With five wins in their last six games, the 5-3 Broncos sit fifth in the AFC, but their upcoming schedule is challenging. They’ll face Baltimore (5-3), Kansas City (7-0), and Atlanta (5-3) over the next three weeks.