Sean Payton isn’t calling game against Chargers ‘must-win’ for Broncos

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton called the team’s Week 3 game against the Los Angeles Chargers “important” on multiple occasions earlier this week.

And at his final press conference on Friday before kickoff, Payton wasn’t changing his tune.

In fact, he wasn’t much in the mood for the narrative around this contest.

Obviously, if the Broncos win, they and the Chargers will both be 2-1 and tied atop the AFC West. With a loss, Denver would fall to 1-2 and Los Angeles would improve to 3-0. The division race would be far from over, but it’d certainly be a hole to climb out of.

Sean Payton wasn’t taking the bait from a reporter, who couldn’t even finish his question about how pivotal this game is.

“They’re all important. I mean, no, it’s Week 3. And so I’m waiting for ‘is this a must-win?’ Listen, it’s an important game, it’s a division, game, alright? It’s an important game, obviously,” Payton said.

And it might be even more important, considering the Chargers already have wins over the Chiefs and Raiders in the AFC West. Their schedule lined up in a unique way, playing Kansas City, Las Vegas and Denver in the first three weeks of the season.

“When the schedule comes out, over the years I’ve learned, I just look at oddball travel. And for them to have played the division by the time they get to Week 4, that’s unusual,” Payton said.

The Chargers can’t win the AFC West this weekend, but they can certainly take control of it. Not only with an undefeated record, but victories over everyone else.

Sean Payton and the Broncos know that, and a win is about as critical as they come for a game that takes place as early as Sept. 21.

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