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Sean Payton Had a Two-Word Message for Himself on Play-Calling Sheet vs. Chargers

The Broncos coach had a friendly reminder for himself scribbled on his list of plays.

Stephen Douglas

Sean Payton and his play sheet during Week 15.
Sean Payton and his play sheet during Week 15. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
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In the first-ever flexed Thursday Night Football game on Amazon Prime—a huge game between two teams for the final playoff spots in the AFC—Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton had one thing on his mind.

Run the ball.

We know this because the words "RUN IT!!" were scribbled on Payton's laminated call sheet.

While Payton apparently prepared for the game with a run-first mentality, the Broncos were an evenly distributed 11 passes and 11 runs after two successful scoring drives. Bo Nix had completed nine passes for 70 yards and a touchdown while Audric Estime had 30 yards on the ground to go with a touchdown.

Who knows how many times Payton would have had his prize rookie quarterback throw the ball if he hadn't been so focused on running the ball. With how efficient Nix was early in the game, you couldn't have blamed Payton if he had decided to just let him cook.

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Stephen Douglas
STEPHEN DOUGLAS

Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.

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