The Denver Broncos are preparing for a quick turnaround following their recent loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, as they get ready to face the Kansas City Chiefs on “Thursday Night Football.” The team is focused on moving forward and addressing areas that need improvement.
Head Coach Sean Payton emphasized the importance of shifting attention to the next opponent. “We’ve been able to, week by week, get on to the next opponent,” Payton said Monday. “That same thing has to exist, obviously, coming off a loss.”
Payton acknowledged that while the Broncos remain confident, they are realistic about Sunday’s 34-20 defeat. “There wasn’t guy in the locker room yesterday … that felt like we didn’t get beat,” Payton said. “… We got beat, and Jacksonville was the better team yesterday. I think our players know that.”
Despite this setback, Denver still has control over its postseason prospects. A win against Kansas City could put them in position to clinch the AFC West with either a Chargers loss in Week 17 or a victory over Los Angeles in Week 18.
Tight end Evan Engram commented on how the team handles adversity: “We attack adversity,” Engram said Sunday. “This is an adverse situation that we’re in after today, and we’ll move on.”
Quarterback Bo Nix noted the benefits of playing again soon after a loss. “There’s a lot we have to cover in three days,” Nix said. “So, the good part about playing on a short week is you get to move on from a game like this. We have to learn from it. We have to fix the mistakes and don’t let a team like that beat us twice.”
Coach Payton addressed concerns about defensive performance against Jacksonville but does not see it as part of an ongoing trend. “I don’t buy it,” Payton said. “Our defense played pretty well last week. You look for those trends. I think our defense has been outstanding this year. They played a good offense yesterday, and look, they struggled. We didn’t play well yesterday, defensively.”
The Broncos’ defense had difficulties against Jacksonville’s offense but had performed strongly just one week earlier against Green Bay.
“Certainly, the week before against a good offense, we played well and had a big win,” Payton said.
Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers highlighted how quickly preparations must begin: “Honestly, it’s a short week, so shoot, it’s time to go,” Franklin-Myers said Sunday. “… Win, lose, draw, we have a 24-hour rule — and we’re on to the next one.”
