Sean Payton thrilled as Broncos absolutely stun Bills at the buzzer
Nov 13, 2023, 10:09 PM
The Denver Broncos are turning a corner in a big way under head coach Sean Payton.
And now, maybe it’s time to start thinking playoffs.
The 4-5 Broncos still have a lot of work to do, but a stunning 24-22 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football kept the 2023 season alive.
Denver kicker Wil Lutz got two chances at the buzzer, after he missed the first kick but luckily Buffalo had 12 men on the field. QB Russell Wilson got the Broncos into field goal territory after a Josh Allen rushing touchdown gave the Bills a 22-21 lead late. Lutz drilled a 36-yarder for the win.
Denver forced four Buffalo turnovers, and only had one of their own, as anything looks possible in a crowded AFC. Payton was pumped about the victory, but knows his team can still clean a few things up.
“Good win on the road. We felt the turnover margin was going to be significant. And it was. Normally if you finish plus-three, you’d win by more, but we hurt ourselves offensively with penalties. I mean the first half, there were four different times we were third-and-10 or more and there’s a penalty on the drive that’s putting us in those spots. So we’ve got to clean that up,” Payton said.
The Broncos managed just six points off the four Buffalo turnovers, but Wilson was great when it mattered most. He forced a key penalty on a great moon-ball to Jerry Jeudy, getting Denver is field-goal range. Lutz was lucky to get a second chance, but the Bills shot themselves in the foot all game.
“I was proud of how we fought and hung in there. Defensively we did a lot of good things against an explosive team. They’re a tough team to beat here, especially when they come off a loss. I think they’re 33-1. With this quarterback and this head coach when they come off a loss, it’s pretty good, and we felt good about the plan the week leading up to it. We’ll have a lot of good tape to watch,” Payton said.
Allen threw two interceptions and had a fumble, as well as running back James Cook losing the ball on the first play from scrimmage. Vance Joseph’s group has clearly turned a corner, and they propelled the Broncos to a huge win, perhaps their biggest since Super Bowl 50.
Next up is two home games against the Vikings and Browns, two beatable teams. But for Denver, the 1-5 start can clearly be put into the past. The Payton affect is real, and this team might actually finish with a winning record for the first time since 2016.
And who knows, maybe even a postseason game or two as well.
