NEW ORLEANS – The biggest story heading into Thursday night’s game between the Broncos and Saints was head coach Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans.
Payton became one of the most successful head coaches of his generation because of the offense he directed with the Saints.
Now in his second season with the Broncos, it’s Payton’s team’s defense that is facing the latest surge.
Head coaches are judged on the success of their team as a whole, not just the unit they are primarily in charge of. And Payton shows the ability to guide the team to success in different ways.
He and the state of the two franchises he led are a case study in the difficulty of maintaining success in the NFL.
Payton, who resigned from the Saints after the 2021 season, watched as a visiting head coach at the Caesars Superdome for the first time as Denver’s defense held off an injury-riddled New Orleans offense in a 33-10 victory.
The Broncos (4-3) won for the fourth time in five games, and have allowed an average of just 11 points in the four wins. Even in their three losses, they allowed only 26, 13 and 23 points.
Denver didn’t allow a touchdown with less than 90 seconds left in Thursday’s drive and limited the Saints’ offense to 271 yards, nearly a third of which came after the visitors had built a 30-point lead.
It was a one-sided rule. Disaster for another.
Payton is hoping that the No. 1 rookie draft pick will be the No. 1 pick. 1 Bo Nix could finally turn into the leader of an offense that could rival the one directed by Drew Brees for 15 seasons, as Payton-coached teams made nine playoff appearances and won New Orleans’ only Super Bowl in the back. 2009 season.
For now, the defense allows Payton to be patient with Nix.
Nix passed for just 164 yards against the Saints, but added 75 rushing yards on 10 carries and Javonte Williams added two rushing touchdowns and 111 yards from scrimmage.
Ironically, while Payton’s offensive-minded team improved because of its defense, Dennis Allen, promoted by Payton because of his success as Payton’s defensive coordinator, saw his defense deteriorate.
Now 2-5, Allen’s team has lost five straight.
The Broncos finished with 225 rushing yards four days after the Saints allowed 227 rushing yards (and 594 total yards) in a 51-27 home loss to Tampa Bay.
Denver missed four Wil Lutz field goals, but that wasn’t a problem because New Orleans’ offense couldn’t gain traction against the NFL’s fourth-ranked defense.
Rookie fifth-round draft pick Spencer Rattler made his second straight start in place of the injured Derek Carr and finished 25 of 35 for 172 yards. He was without his top two players, Chris Olave (concussion) and Rashid Shaheed, who underwent knee surgery Thursday that will reportedly sideline him for the rest of the season, and was sacked five times behind a makeshift offensive line and lost two fumbles.
By the way, the result gave Payton a victory against the last 32 teams of the NFL that he did not judge in his first crack at his former employer.
While his current team is moving up in the AFC, his former team is sinking deep into the NFC.
The continuation of current trends means that New Orleans will be looking for a new coach for the second time in four years after Payton held the position for 16 years.
And by the looks of it all, Payton is just getting started in Denver.
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