Sean Payton inadvertently blamed consequences of his own actions for Broncos loss

The Los Angeles Chargers stormed back from a double-digit deficit to secure a 34-27 victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 16 on Thursday Night Football.

The Kansas City Chiefs have already secured the AFC West title for the ninth consecutive season, but new coaches in Los Angeles and Denver have kept their team’s playoff hopes alive. Both teams have been clinging onto the final two AFC Wild Card spots, and their divisional clash in Week 16 had massive playoff implications.

The loss was particularly disappointing for Denver, who could have clinched a playoff berth for the first time since they won Super Bowl 50. Instead, the Broncos will have to fight to keep hold of their AFC Wild Card spot over the final two weeks of the season.

The Broncos scored on three consecutive possessions to open the game, and they held an 11-point lead before falling apart in the second half. Chargers rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey caught all six of his targets for 87 yards, including a 27-yard reception after he was left wide-open by a busted coverage.

Sean Payton catches heat for postgame comments after loss

During his postgame press conference, Broncos head coach Sean Payton criticized his defense for their undisciplined coverage.

"We dropped coverage tonight five different times," Payton said. "Look, on a short week, we've got to look closely at, 'Why are these things happening?' But five different times, we had free runners. And you can't have one of their top receivers not covered.”

Zach Bye, a local sports radio host for “104.3 The Fan,” didn’t buy Payton’s explanation, and he criticized Payton on social media for using the short week as an excuse.

“No,” Bye posted after hearing Payton’s postgame remarks on Thursday. “You can’t point to the ‘short week’ when the NFL literally asked you if you want to be flexed into the primetime Thursday slot and you said ‘yes.’”

The Broncos and Chargers were initially scheduled to kickoff during the early Sunday slate, but the high-stakes affair was flexed to the Thursday night primetime slot.

Thursday night games have become notorious for sloppy play. The quick turnaround from the previous game forces teams to condense their weekly preparation into three days. Coaches have less time to scour film and implement game plans, while players have less time to rest and recover. To make matters worse, practices are often replaced with walkthroughs and meetings. As a result, the short week often leads to more penalties and missed assignments. 

Although Denver lost the game, they’re still in good standing for a playoff spot. The Broncos currently have an 85 percent chance to make the postseason, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Payton and Co. will travel for another critical game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17, then return home to close out the season against Kansas City.