Sean Payton stresses playoff mistakes can have big consequences
Jan 8, 2025, 3:51 PM
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has coached in 17 playoffs games.
And he’s won nine of them, sporting a 9-8 record.
Considering how tough postseason football is, being over .500 is impressive. Of course the highlight of Payton’s career was winning Super Bowl XLIV with the New Orleans Saints.
Considering the Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since 2015, very few guys on this roster have postseason experience. And no one from the Super Bowl 50 team still plays in Denver.
Given Payton is the veteran with playoff experience, the team will need to lean on him heavily before its showdown with the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The winner advances to the divisional round, the loser goes home.
On Wednesday, Payton was asked about stressing the details of the postseason to his young roster.
“It’s not like we pay more attention to the details this week then we did in Week 5. But you also understand in playoff football, unlike the other sports, it’s three hours,” Payton said.
What Payton’s saying is in basketball, hockey or baseball, you get to play a series at the professional level. That’s not the case in football. One bad day can end your season.
“When you do this long enough, personal fouls, behavior penalties, these little things that can swing the outcome of a game. The margins, because you’re taking the top teams in the league, get closer and therefore the mistakes can be of great consequence,” Payton said.
Broncos Country has seen a fair share of playoff mistakes cost their team a shot at a championship over the years. Payton is in teaching mode, hoping to avoid those against the Bills.
“I think you’re educating them as to what wins. Ball security, and the field position,” Sean Payton said. “Obviously we’re playing a real good football team and we’re going to have to play a real complete game.”
Buffalo is the No. 2 seed and Denver is the No. 7 seed for a reason. But on any given Sunday, a huge upset can happen. The Broncos are hoping to play a clean game and pull one of those off.
