The Denver Broncos faced noteworthy resistance from the Kansas City Chiefs all game on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 17, but head coach Sean Payton and Co. emerged victorious.
Payton offered a glimpse behind the curtain after the win, regarding the game-sealing play.
Payton, who is prone to victory laps upon successful deception, did so again, revealing that the Chiefs fell into the Broncos’ trap.
Sean Payton Admits Trickery After Broncos Beat Chiefs
GettyChris Jones #95 of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on against the Chicago Bears.
Payton fielded a question about a critical decision during the final frame with the game tied 13-all, and his call to keep Bo Nix and the offense on the field rather than kick a field goal and play defense for the win.
They lined up and caught a significant break, as Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones jumped offsides. According to Payton, that was the only real part of their plan.
He said it was a “no-brainer freeze”, but out of a “different formation,” they have “never shown.”
“We were gonna take the delay of game. So, we didn’t have a play. I don’t know why, we called it Harrisburg. Because it looked like a play we had called Pittsburgh and no one moves in Harrisburg; I think that’s why we just came up with that,” Payton told reporters on December 25.
“It’s a unique one, because it involves–you’re on the road. So, it involves a big heel and then [Quinn] Meinerz is just barking the cadence out. So he gets hat off to him. He gets Air Jordans for the offensive line. The last time we were able to do that, it was Nate [Adkins]. And so, he got five pair. Obviously, that changed the complexity of the clock,
“We were gonna take the penalty, kick the field goal. Yeah, that was the plan. And it was just an oddball formation to run a no-brainer freeze from, especially on the road.”
The cadence Meinerz delivered was not real, but it worked nonetheless.
Payton also noted that he had a tryout with the Chiefs as a player, while the Broncos swept KC for the first time since the 2014 season. Their 13 wins add on to what was already the Broncos’ winningest season since they won the Super Bowl in 2015.
Sean Payton Focused on Chargers, Not Records
GettyDenver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Payton was also asked about the Broncos breaking the franchise sack record. They got to Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun once to set the new mark.
“I don’t think anyone is focused on records right now,” Payton said.
Instead, Payton said that his focus will be on the Broncos’ AFC West rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers and their matchup against the Houston Texans on Saturday. The Chargers remain able to snatch the No. 1 seed in the postseason from the Broncos.
The two teams face off against one another in Week 18. A Chargers loss to the Texans would be good, but Denver is also fending off the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Sean Payton Praises Chiefs
GettyChiefs HC Andy Reid looks on before a game against the Houston Texans.
Among several others, the Chiefs did not have Patrick Mahomes or top backup Gardner Minshew, leaving Oladokun to make his first NFL start. Payton noted that it was a “hard-fought win” and that Chiefs head coach Andy Reid wanted to control the ball and shorten the game.
“You’re playing the heart of a champion,” Payton said of the Chiefs. “I don’t care who cares out of the locker room.”
The Broncos were also short-handed, but Payton was able to coach them to victory.
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