Sean Payton’s locker room message to Broncos after OT win: ‘There’s a way to win each one of these games’

The Denver Broncos’ offense struggled for most of Thursday night. In the locker room afterward, Sean Payton pointed to the mistakes the unit didn’t make.

After Denver’s 17-14 overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks at Empower Field at Mile High, Payton told his players that protecting the ball was the difference in a game the Broncos nearly gave away.

“There’s a way to win each one of them,” Payton told the team as captured by Prime Video. “Offense, we came out, then it became tough, but not one turnover. We put it on their end of the field, and they had three. There’s a way to win each one of these games. We just gotta promise ourselves we’re still improving. Just gotta promise ourselves we’re still improving.”

"Just promise ourselves we're still improving."

Sean Payton speaks to the victorious @Broncos locker room!#TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/a8cma9VZjt

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) October 16, 2026

The Broncos started strong. They scored on two long first-half drives to take a 14-3 halftime lead. J.K. Dobbins capped a 16-play, 74-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, and R.J. Harvey took a direct snap and scored from a yard out.

After that, the offense had little. Denver finished with 168 total yards and converted 3 of 14 third downs. Bo Nix completed 17 of 27 passes for 107 yards.

Seattle scored the final 11 points of regulation. Jason Myers tied the game with a 34-yard field goal with 3 seconds left. In overtime, Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted Sam Darnold, and Wil Lutz made a 53-yard field goal to win it.

The defense backed up Payton’s message. Nik Bonitto forced a fumble that Justin Strnad recovered in the first half. Kris Abrams-Draine intercepted Darnold with 1:25 left in regulation, and McMillian’s pick ended the game. Denver also sacked Darnold five times.

“They were fantastic,” Nix said of the defense. “We don’t win that game without them.”

Meanwhile Payton didn’t celebrate much.

“I’m a little bit of a realist to know that 4-2 could easily be 2-4,” he said. “It was a good win, but … there’s a lot of work to do.”

The Broncos (4-2) have a long break before visiting the Arizona Cardinals on Oct. 25.

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