Broncos Flip the Script: A New Chapter In the Sean Payton Story

For once, the Denver Broncos didn’t crumble when it counted.

Oct 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos entered their Week 5 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles at 2-2, but they walked out with a historical win in multiple ways. Entering the game, Denver was 1-112 on the road when trailing by 14 or more points entering the fourth quarter.

Plus, entering Week 5, only two teams that had to play on the road before traveling across the pond for a London game have ever won. The Broncos became the third, as they now head to the United Kingdom to play the New York Jets abroad.

To boot, the Broncos did this in an early East Coast game, where they have historically struggled, and they won against a heretofore undefeated opponent. Suffice it to say, the Broncos made a statement with this win in more ways than one. 

Minimizing Mistakes When it Matters

A significant reason the Broncos were 2-2 entering Week 5 was due to their self-inflicted wounds late in games that bordered on a team collapse. Denver still had a moment of that in Philly, but it was at the end of the first half.

The Broncos bounced back in the second half. They flipped the script of the late collapse, and instead of melting down in the clutch, they saved their best play for when the chips were down.

The Broncos closed out a game, as the players showed their resolve, with head coach Sean Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph digging deep into their playbooks to come up with plays the Eagles weren’t expecting. That's another way the Broncos flipped the script; they weren't predictable. 

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Late-Game Excellence

Oct 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram (1) celebrate touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Again, the most novel aspect was the late-game excellence. The Broncos' offense had everything clicking after leaning on a running game that they had previously abandoned to close out the first half. That's further evidence that Denver's offensive identity needs to be with the running game. 

Once the Broncos started having success with the running game to start the second half, it opened up the passing game for Bo Nix and the receivers, allowing them to find purchase with big plays, picking up chunk yardage. The Broncos ran to set up the pass, which isn’t the modern line of thinking, but old-school thinking, especially in football, can still work. 

Then, despite having some rough moments, the Broncos' defense bounced back to lock things up in the second half. The Broncos weren’t getting called for stupid penalties as consistently to close out the game, or missing tackles like they did in their two losses. 

Rush linebacker Nik Bonitto once again proved he's an outstanding pass rusher, making some big plays to close out the game when facing one of the best left tackles in the NFL, Jordan Mailata. The Broncos' secondary played tight coverage, and even with one pass interference call, they did what they needed to do and kept the Eagles from making the necessary chunk plays to reach the end zone.

You could say the Broncos clipped the Eagles' wings. There would be no Fly, Eagles, Fly on Sunday.

The Takeaway

This was the biggest win of the Payton era and proves that the Broncos can beat good or great teams, not just the opponents they're supposed to defeat. It wasn’t a perfect game, but the Broncos showed the resilience needed to pull out a win, and just in time.

After this game, the Broncos have their easiest five-game stretch of the season, the most favorable they've had since Payton arrived. This team could easily be 8-3 going into their first game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11.