Broncos Vet Hints at Why Sean Payton Wasn't Happy After Panthers Win

Sean Payton is trying to instill a winning culture at Denver Broncos HQ.

Oct 27, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos offensive players huddle in the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Empower Field at Mile High. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Sean Payton is working hard to establish a winning culture with the Denver Broncos.

Following the Broncos' 28-14 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Payton reportedly let his team have it in the post-game locker-room meeting. Payton was very dissatisfied with how the Broncos finished that game, especially with the turnovers.

This could be part and parcel of Payton's push to establish a winning culture in Denver. But what does that mean exactly?

"I think it's just a belief that you can get it done on a week-to-week basis," Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey said on Monday via conference call.

Winning teams in the National Football League tend to have common denominators. One of them is a confidence so high that it becomes belief. And maybe even more than belief.

Still, if a winning culture isn't easy to define, then it becomes exceedingly difficult to achieve. However, Payton seems to have defined it for his players and coaches.

"That's what a winning culture is," McGlinchey said. "It's when you step on the field, you believe and know that you're going to win the game, based off of the preparation that you have, based off the people that you have in the building, based off of the plan. And I think we've been building that, not only this year, but since last year, to try and make that a part of who we are... And I think we're doing a pretty good job with that."

The Broncos turned the ball over twice in Week 8, and all 14 of Carolina's points came as a result of them. The mood inside the Broncos locker room afterward was reportedly more akin to that of a loss than a 14-point victory.

McGlinchey and his veteran teammates understand the high expectations and the standard Payton is trying to instill in the Broncos. That's a good thing because it means that Payton has been able to define the objective in a comprehensive way that all players can buy into.

"I think that's a part of the winning culture we've been talking about," McGlinchey said. "You have to identify that if you don't play your best, you should never be satisfied. I don't think we did yesterday."

There were missed assignments and nuanced gaffes that the average viewer might not have caught in the Broncos' Week 8 performance. However, the players and coaches know exactly what they were.

Some of the obvious ones that were visible to all, besides the turnovers, were the dropped passes on offense. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix passed for 284 yards and three touchdowns, but his numbers could have been way higher had players like Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Troy Franklin, and Courtland Sutton been able to better hold up their end of the bargain.

We could have been talking about a 42-point blowout. A veritable zero-burger. But a truly great team wouldn't have let those opportunities slip through its fingers. That's McGlinchey's point.

The Broncos' next three opponents — the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons — won't be the ones to squander such opportunities. The Broncos need to better guard against such snafus, and also be prepared to exploit any and every chance to sink their teeth into these opponents.

"We have an opportunity here with this success that we've had over the last five or six weeks, where we're in position to play in some bigger games—we're going to need to be better than we were yesterday, and where it's going to matter a little bit more," McGlinchey said. "Each turnover is going to matter a little bit more, or each missed assignment is going to matter a little bit more. We have to take that next step in order to be one of the teams that's playing in the postseason."

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Going back to that post-game mood of dissatisfaction, it's actually the sign of a maturing team. A lesser squad would have celebrated a 14-point win over an NFL opponent like it was the Super Bowl.

Instead, the Broncos were pissed, taking on the emotional complexion of their head coach. That 14-point win wasn't good enough because of what plays and points the Broncos left out on the grass at Empower Field.

"I think it's team-wide. If you're not getting better, you're getting worse," McGlinchey said. "That's something that Coach Payton definitely lives by, and it's something that we should all live by."

None of this should detract from the progress the Broncos have shown in recent weeks. Since McGlinchey returned to his post at right tackle from a four-week stint on injured reserve, the Broncos offense has operated on a different level.

Nix has looked far more comfortable, especially in Week 8, and McGlinchey sees that as a harbinger of what's to come for the Broncos.

"I think guys have made huge strides in the last two games," McGlinchey said. "Winning five out of six is a pretty big deal in this league and certainly, you're starting to see Bo get really, really comfortable back there. He's starting to be able to produce a lot of really good plays for our offense, [and] the running backs are doing a great job... And obviously, upfront on the offensive line, we're trying to improve, no matter if we're a veteran group or not."

Gary Kubiak had his "Iron Sharpens Iron" mantra the Broncos rallied behind in 2015. One of Payton's maxims, it seems, is "If You're Not Getting Better, You're Getting Worse." And McGlinchey, as a veteran leader, is going to do his part to make sure the Broncos aren't regressing as the season marches ahead.

"Like I said, if you're not getting better, you're getting worse," he said. "You have to hold yourself to a higher standard to play your best football when it's needed. And that's what we're going to try to do."

It's an exciting time to be a Broncos fan. This team is more than relevant. Most NFL power rankings have the Broncos just outside the top 10.

The Broncos are more concerned with the AFC West standings and the Conference seedings, though. Entering the month of November against three high-quality opponents, the Broncos are the epitome of relevant.

At 5-3, this team has the chance to make some noise in the AFC. Since Super Bowl 50, we've seen the Broncos flash and go on little runs, but they've always come crashing back down to Earth.

If the results this year are going to be any different — if the Broncos are going to snap their eight-year playoff drought — they can't wilt in the face of competing against two top-level AFC rivals in back-to-back weeks. We'll find out soon enough whether McGlinchey's words are the bloviations of a wise but ultimately ineffectual veteran or if they're the mark of a team that has re-learned how to win.

"I think a winning culture is—it's more than just winning football games," McGlinchey said. "It's showing up, preparing the right way, taking care of your body the right way, asking the right questions, studying what you need to study on film. It's just an obsession with doing the right thing that will translate to winning football games."

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