After the Denver Broncos guaranteed their first winning campaign since 2016 with a tricky triumph over the Indianapolis Colts, the Men of Orange needed just one conquest in their final three games to clinch a playoff berth. But last week, they blew a big lead against the Los Angeles Chargers in a matchup during which alleged offensive genius Sean Payton was thoroughly outcoached by his opposite number, onetime Broncos hiring target Jim Harbaugh. And then, on December 28, Denver wasted a fourth-quarter comeback and a gift-wrapped, holiday-season second opportunity, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 30-24 — and once again, fans on social media are heaping the majority of the blame on Payton.
As well they should.
That the Bengals were ravenous should have come as no surprise. At the season's start, quarterback Joe Burrow and company were a trendy pick to cock-block the Kansas City Chiefs' quest for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory. But while Burrow and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase more than lived up to expectations, the Cincy defense proved less impregnable than Michelle Duggar, giving away contest after contest early in the season. Still, coming into the Saturday showdown against Denver, the Bengals had notched three victories in a row and retained a chance to make the post-season — and they had a home-field advantage to make it happen.
Nevertheless, early signs were good for Denver. After the opening kickoff, rookie QB Bo Nix directed his charges deep into Bengals territory before the march petered out. Then, one Wil Lutz field goal later, freshly minted stalwart Nik Bonitto stopped a fourth-down bid by Chase Brown to rob Cincinnati of points — and a subsequent sack of Burrow inside the Denver five found the Broncos repeating the feat in the second quarter. Granted, the Broncos weren't able to make these achievements pay off, generating a combined 23 yards on their next two possessions — and the Bengals were finally able to get into the end zone and take a 7-3 lead into halftime. Yet the deficit hardly seemed insurmountable.
The final two stanzas were back-and-forth affairs, with the two outfits trading scores and miscues: Cincinnati field goal, Broncos touchdown, Cincinnati touchdown, Broncos touchdown, Cincinnati fumble, Broncos interception. Then, with around ninety seconds remaining, Burrow pushed past the goal line to put the Bengals ahead 24-17, necessitating last-minute-and-a-half heroics from Nix — and he delivered by way of an ultra-unlikely 25-yard strike to Marvin Mims with eight ticks remaining.
This left Payton with a decision: kick an extra point to force overtime or go for a two-point conversion. Typically, units on the road opt for the latter course — and Payton's brand is aggression. Yet this time around, he opted for the former, supposedly because a tie would be just as good as a W when it came to punching a Denver playoffs ticket.
Stupid? Yep — but it took a while to reveal just how moronic the move would turn out to be. The Bengals got the ball first, and the Broncos forced a punt. Yet thanks to unimaginative play-calling and worse execution, Denver generated just four yards in three plays and had to kick the ball back to Burrow's boys. Frosty-tipped Joe then took his comrades all the way to the Broncos' fifteen, where Cade York lined up for what seemed like an impossible-to-miss field goal.
When York clanked the ball off the upright instead, redemption for Denver was back on the docket. Yet Payton faltered again, dialing up a predictable run by Audric Estime that netted three yards, an equally foreseeable short pass to Mims that lost two, and an inconsequential chuck to Adam Trautman that hit the turf. Hence, a punt back to the Bengals, who were celebrating a clinching touchdown five plays later.
Granted, Denver isn't dead yet: The Broncos can still get into the playoffs under a number of scenarios, including either a win or tie over the Chiefs, whose number-one seeding suggests that they'll rest most of their key players. But this suspense could have and should have been avoided — and fans on X have no doubt who was at fault, as the twenty posts below make clear.
Number 20:
Choke job from Payton
— Golden Era Carbicc (@GoldenEraNugg) December 29, 2024
Number 19:
I said it. Payton shouldn’t be a head coach if he can’t handle the heat and make the right decisions. I was rooting for the Broncos to get back to the playoffs but now I hope they choke it away. https://t.co/Ppzf54UhiX
— And I am Iron Man Von Doom (@hitmanhoupt) December 29, 2024
Number 18:
Reminiscent of last year. Sean Payton's team is embarrassingly uprepared and choke in their biggest games. The game has passed him up!
— Bo Nix A Lot (@Broncos_Stats) December 28, 2024
Number 17:
The last two weeks in a row, the Broncos had every opportunity to win the game and go to the playoffs. But we choke and now we’re going into the final game of the season. We have to be our biggest rival at home who are possibly playing their backups to make the playoffs. Oh and…
— Joey fatts (@joeyjo35t) December 29, 2024
Number 16:
One bad game?? What about the choke last week?? And nobody is attacking him or his family as humans! Maybe just the poor judgement calls!
— Rick Rohrbaugh (@Mustangnut03) December 29, 2024
Number 15:
Moss = Levi tonight , should’ve been benched for KAD
— Zack (@NixForSix) December 29, 2024
Sean and VJ choke job coaching
VJ leave him in Cinci
That is all
Number 14:
Broncos country!!! Let’s choke
— kor (@meltedforks) December 29, 2024
Number 13:
never doubt the broncos ability to choke
— benjamin 🇩🇪 (@benjy_bvb) December 29, 2024
it’s more so just a heartbreaking loss, I mean the hope I had with the missed FG
Number 12:
The is the exact reason Sean Payton needs to go for two
— Jack Burke (@JackBurke28) December 29, 2024
Number 11:
Sean Payton lost that game, didn’t go for two, and then didn’t trust the run game.
— colorado sports for life (@hikendrink) December 29, 2024
Number 10:
Bo wanted to go for two and for the win. Should’ve listened to him. I hate Sean Payton.
— CristianLeVigne (@LeVigneCristian) December 29, 2024
Number 9:
That's what I thought I heard from Sean Payton too. You could literally see Bo Nix walking back to the sidelines with two fingers up signaling to go for two during the broadcast. Smdh.
— BroncoFanatic97 (@BroncoFanatic97) December 29, 2024
Number 8:
Sean Payton had to go for two after the prayer to Marvin Mims. You had no business winning that game. Get two yards to win the game.
— CJ Jester (@NixforSix2) December 29, 2024
Number 7:
Damn the Broncos suck go for two Sean Payton you dickhead.
— The Phantom Menace (@SatsukiKiryui19) December 29, 2024
Number 6:
I would’ve felt better if Sean Payton had the balls to do what should’ve been done in the first place: go for two. If you get it, you win right then and there. #DENvsCIN #Broncoscountry
— DenForBroncos (@BroncosDenv) December 29, 2024
Number 5:
So would a fucking win!!! Playing for a tie is embarassing. 2 yards for the playoffs. 2 yards. You want to be a hall of fame coach but aren’t confident in getting 2 yards? What a joke.
— Not Sean Payton (@BroncosBurner1) December 29, 2024
Number 4:
I'm always confident we can win any week. 2 tough but tight losses against very good teams shows that we can play some good ball. Just need to execute next week. It'll be a tough one to swallow, but at home for the last one, so I'm still hopeful...
— MZ365 (@MZuma365) December 29, 2024
Number 3:
Should already have a win over the chiefs and this game wouldn’t even matter. Broncos absolutely deserve to be in the playoffs. Hope we make it
— Vin daNoodle (@TudsDaNoodle08) December 29, 2024
Number 2:
I really really really really hope we don't need Russ https://t.co/FJiPKudNI4 well to get in.
— ~Fuckity Fuckin Go Broncos~ (@Gobroncos239) December 29, 2024
If so .......... pic.twitter.com/NNGlMwYVSM
Number 1:
Its emotion rn, it was a tough loss that feels like it slipped away from us. True Broncos fans wanna make the playoffs no matter what
— Trev (@Boisabronco) December 29, 2024