Sean Payton got brutally honest about Broncos' improbable win over Giants
Entering the fourth quarter down 19-0 and having a net 112 yards of offense on the day, the Denver Broncos looked dead in the water. The New York Giants had won this game handedly. All that was left was another 15 minutes of gameplay and then, the Broncos would have to move on and get ready for Week 8.
That is, until the Broncos completed one of the most epic comebacks in the history of the NFL, scoring 33 points in the fourth quarter alone. The Broncos somehow won this game, and afterwards, head coach Sean Payton acknowledged the victory, but quickly got very honest about where the team's focus and feelings will be this week.
"We're going to enjoy today. But tomorrow isn't going to be as pleasant. And it can't be. Or we're just fooling ourselves," he told the Denver media.
Sean Payton knows the Broncos can't be close to satisfied after near-impossible comeback vs. Giants
If you do the simple math, the Broncos totaled 295 yards of offense in that fourth quarter while putting up 33 points. They might have totaled 407 yards on the game, but entering that final period with only 112, this offense was flat-out sputtering.
Folks who didn't watch the game might just look at the box score and think that Bo Nix had a stellar outing. And, while he was flat-out incredible in the fourth quarter, Nix and the rest of the offense looked inept for three other quarters.
There were plenty of Broncos fans who had been fed up with what they'd seen over the first 45 real minutes of game action. Come that final 15, though, a bit of magic happened.
Payton knows that if they waltz into practice this week, feeling proud and mighty after a game like this, that they would be completely kidding themselves. The performance was anything but acceptable, and it even had Broncos fans leaving their own stadium early in that final quarter.
I repeat: Broncos fans were leaving the game early.
What a tough look for those folks who didn't get to watch the impossible unfold right before their eyes.
Back to Payton's comments, though. This week
Next week, the Broncos face a Dallas Cowboys team that just put up 44 points in Week 7. This had better be a stellar week of preparation.
Enjoy the win for the night. But, come practice this week, forget all the good vibes and get to work.
BREAKING: Rams Rookies React to Their First Career Touchdowns After London Win
The Los Angeles Rams blew out the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday from Wembley Stadium in London and two rookies shined.
Rams rookies Terrance Ferguson, Konata Mumpfield each scored their first career touchdowns in the game.
Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford shined, throwing for five touchdowns. It could be argued the former No. 1 overall pick entered himself into the MVP race with the performance. Despite a low total yards gained on Sunday, the 37-year-old is ranked first in the NFL in passing yards, fourth in touchdowns (17) and he only has two interceptions. He has a career-high 109.3 passer rating.
Stafford connected with Ferguson on a 31-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, while Mumpfield started the scoring with a 5-yard reception, leading the Rams to a 35–7 victory.
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Terrance Ferguson Believes His Faith Brought Him Here
It’s been a long wait for Ferguson.
The second-round pick had to wait for his opportunity after a groin injury sidelined him during training camp. He was inactive for two of the first four games as he worked to refine the blocking skills essential for Rams tight ends before seeing game action.
He recorded his first career catch in Week 5, followed by a career-high 17 snaps in Week 6, setting the stage for his latest milestone on Sunday.
“It was a great call by coach,” Ferguson said postgame. “It was fourth-and-short, taking a deep shot like that. I was just blessed to be put in that opportunity … and obviously it was a great throw, right in the bread basket.”
“It felt really good,” he added. “I think everyone wants everything right now, especially right now with social media and our phones. Everything happens now, everyone wants it on their timing. But really trusting in god’s timing, whenever that was. Trusting in the coaches, trusting in the coaches has been huge for me.”
Konata Mumpfield Ready to Take the Next Step
Mumpfield also had to bide his time in a receivers room featuring Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. His touchdown came on a choice route he had successfully executed in practice.
“The way (the coverage) was kind of set up, I knew I had an opportunity on that ball,” Mumpfield said. “Gave him a slight little jab and the ball was there. With (Stafford), anything is possible.”
With the depth of the receiver room he joined in April, Mumpfield wasn’t guaranteed a chance to see the field this season. Still, he’s viewed it as an opportunity to learn rather than an obstacle to his career.
“Really just focusing on being the best version of myself,” Mumpfield said. “A lot of people wish they were in my shoes so really just taking a step at a time, a day at a time, stacking days and just learning as much as I can from those guys because I prayed in college and high school to learn from a guy like (Adams).”
Adams believes Mumpfield has a bright future ahead of him.
“I call Konata my son because he just reminds me so much of myself as far as a young ‘Tae,” Adams said. “And honestly I think he’s ahead of where I was my rookie year as far as being comfortable in the league. He’s crazy coachable and he’s got all the ability in the world. So as far as whenever I’m done in there, he’ll go and step up and he’ll be catching a lot more touchdowns than he did today.”
