I read more stuff that I just looked at and thought, ‘This is garbage,'” Sean Payton said of criticism of his play-calling before halftime.

Sean Payton’s worst enemy greets him in the misty mirror every morning for a shave, then cuts him from inside the rest of the day. If Payton ever got out of his own way, he’d rule the world. The Broncos coach needs to listen more to the voice on his play sheet — RUN IT!

That was some strange football chess that unfolded last week in the Kroenke Dome, assisting the Los Angeles Chargers against the Denver Broncos. By now the football world knows how the first half ended.

During Thursday night's game between the Broncos and the Chargers, Prime Video cameras caught a prime shot of Denver coach Sean Payton's call sheet.

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was not happy that his call sheet was shown on the broadcast against the Los Angeles Chargers.

For years, the Broncos continuously held below-500 seasons. They've only had one winning year post-Peyton Manning era, and from 2017-2023, the team's overall record was 43-72. While Sean Payton was already the head coach in 2023, one could argue that it makes the current resurgence even sweeter for him.

Saying he'll "only get better" moving forward, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton teased a further expanded role for rookie running back Audric Estime, who led the team in rushing amid last week's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Pat Surtain II, star cornerback for the Denver Broncos, has made a bold admission about the team and Sean Payton following their tough loss to the Chargers in Week 16.

And so here we are: On to Cincinnati. The Broncos lost because of Dicker the Kicker and Hassan Haskins. The Chargers, despite trailing 21-10, despite giving up a touchdown on the Broncos’ first three possessions, were better.

Zack Kelberman is the Senior Editor for Mile High Huddle. He has covered the NFL for more than a decade and the Denver Broncos since 2016. He's also the co-host of the wildly popular Broncos show the Mile High Huddle Podcast.

Hopefully, this was the wake-up call that Payton needed as a play-caller, even though he's had multiple other conspicuous snafus on a scale worthy of self-reflection. The Broncos need to be able to run the ball, as it can help them close out games and clinch that playoff spot.