Payton ‘didn’t even talk about’ winning the AFC West at Broncos’ Monday team meeting

Broncos coach Sean Payton was watching Saturday’s game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Houston Texans, so, like plenty of others, he learned of his team’s AFC West championship in real time.

But by Monday morning’s team meeting, the title was quickly forgotten.

“We actually didn’t even talk about it. And I don’t know that [it’s] something I should have admitted,” Payton said.

“… The focus was on this week’s game and the Chargers and the seeding ramifications, really trying to educate them relative to what’s going to be important here down the stretch.”

Added Payton during his question-and-answer session: “This game’s very much like a playoff game.”

Unlike the New England Patriots — who posed with their AFC East commemorative merchandise Sunday after clinching their first division crown in six years — Payton and the Broncos didn’t do much with their t-shirts and hats.

“The equipment guy, ‘Flip’ [Chris Valenti], texts me, ‘What do you want me to do?’ And I said, ‘Just put ’em in the lockers.'”

“… I haven’t seen the hats or the shirts. My understanding is they’re pretty ugly.”

But while the accomplishment of Payton’s first stated goal for the team wasn’t a topic, another issue was: turnover margin.

 

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WHY PAYTON IS FOCUSED ON TURNOVER MARGIN

“Improving the one area that, has to improve, is that turnover margin,” Payton said.

His Broncos are tied for 25th in the NFL with a minus-5 margin. The other team at minus-5, the San Francisco 49ers, will also battle for a No. 1 seed this weekend against a team with a similar margin, the Seattle Seahawks (minus-4).

The Broncos rank a respectable 12th in turnovers with 17 through 12 games headed into Monday night’s play. But just three teams have fewer takeaways than their tally of 12.

Turnovers are down in recent years as passing games prioritize precision and ball security; long gone are the days when an even touchdown-to-interception ratio is acceptable. Among 35 quarterbacks this season, only one — Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy — has fewer touchdown passes than interceptions. Thus, takeaways are more difficult to procure than ever.

But a shocking stat given the Broncos’ pass rush is the lack of fumbles produced. The Broncos are last in the league in forced fumbles with 11, tied with Dallas. They are also tied for 30th in fumble recoveries.

The pressure hasn’t translated into takeaways. And as last Thursday’s game showed, a single takeaway can be transformative; Kansas City’s tip-drill interception that landed in Nick Bolton’s grasp set up a short field and their only touchdown on a 35-yard drive. A field goal followed a 44-yard punt return that set up the Chiefs in Denver territory.

Without that takeaway and maximum capitalization off of it, the Chiefs likely aren’t in the game in the fourth quarter. Instead, the game was deadlocked despite Kansas City having just 95 yards from scrimmage prior to their final two-minute drive.

No team with fewer than 17 takeaways in a regular season has ever gone on to win the Super Bowl; the Broncos must generate five in Sunday’s regular-season finale to reach that number.

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