Sean Payton was open about how his season went during his postseason press conference on Tuesday.
Starting with a time when he admitted he didn’t call the correct play. literally.
“I want to get my eyes fixed, so I call the right play and I don’t mess up and call the wrong play on a play that happened one time this year,” he told reporters. “That was embarrassing.”
Sean Payton talks about things he would have done differently this season, says at one point he called the wrong play. “That was embarrassing.” pic.twitter.com/1EJcge0c5D
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) January 9, 2024
Of course, Payton has made mistakes before. Following the Broncos’ loss to Kansas City, Payton admitted to making a “boneheaded mistake” by calling a timeout after Russell Wilson was sacked with 22 seconds remaining in the first half. Kansas City still had three timeouts, and they would utilize two of them on their next two-play drive, which ended with a 60-yard Harrison Butker from goal as time expired.
Nonetheless, Payton highlighting these occasions serves as a reminder of how many things were somewhat awry at times, contributing to the 8-9 finish, including the head coach himself.
BUT SEAN PAYTON SAYS CALLING SOME TIMEOUTS WASN’T A MISTAKE
Specifically, he called timeouts toward the conclusion of the first half in Las Vegas last Sunday, as well as late in the Broncos’ 26-23 loss to the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve. In both occasions, Payton called a timeout expecting his team’s defense to make a stop, giving the offense extra time to operate.
It’s a totally sound strategy—IF your defense keeps the opposition offense off the field. It occurred in neither case. New England marched to a game-winning field goal, ultimately ending the Broncos’ postseason aspirations, while Las Vegas stormed to a touchdown after a 98-yard drive.
Sean Payton: “Half-yard line at end of the first half against Vegas I’m calling that timeout again, 99 (times) out of 100. Just look at the statistics or field position. The same one (vs.) New England, really. I would say we have to be great with the details …” pic.twitter.com/pkrASHWoxL
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) January 10, 2024
“I know some of you had questions about a couple timeouts, but half-yard line at end of the first half against Vegas — I’m calling that timeout again, 99 (times) out of 100,” Payton said. “Just look at the statistics or field position. The same one (versus) New England, really.”
GRADING HIS BRONCOS SEASON
Sean Payton would evaluate his season based solely on the record. Payton’s Broncos finished 8-9, his sixth losing season in 16 years as head coach – and first since 2016.
“I stated something the other day, and I know exactly how my peers and I interpreted it. Everyone would see it as 8–9. “That’s just how we’re wired,” Payton said.
“Specifically, there would be a number of things where, ‘Ah, I know better.'” There is a notepad right now. I think, for me, coming off the season—what are things as we prepare, so that this time next year, I’m not trying to recall. I have a notepad with items we’ll address, change, or do differently this season. As head coaches, we are evaluated based on the success of our teams, which is appropriate. That means we’re sometimes overrated and sometimes underrated.
“Ultimately, it is about winning. That’s always been very clear, clean, and invigorating.”
Aside from the record, there’s one basic goal: don’t schedule your end-of-season news conference too soon. Unfortunately, this has become the standard in Denver since Super Bowl 50.
“The fact that we’re having this on Tuesday in whatever week in January is not the right week,” he went on to say. “Certainly, it’s not the right week for us and for when we’d like to be having this meeting.”
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