NFL.com Questions Whether Russell Wilson has 'Earned Payton's Trust'

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson doesn't want to hear that his team has already somehow climbed a mountain.

"I think the most important thing for us is we have to stay humble, and we have to stay hungry," Wilson said after Sunday's win over Minnesota. "There's a lot more to do. We're going to get better. We're on the rise. At the end of the day, we haven't done anything yet."

A four-game winning streak provides a boost of energy, but it comes with a word of caution. The buzz such streaks create can eventually overwhelm a team and knock them off their stride.

Wilson's commitment to stay focused on the right things, and not get caught up in the high-profile trope of his redemption, is good for the Broncos. After all, this team has much greater ambitions than a feel-good quarterback story.

Wilson's hunger to chase team success seems organic and heartfelt, but it serves him on an individual level. Should he continue to win ball games in the clutch, his performances will receive an increasing amount of plaudits anyway.

Sean Payton's influence on the soon-to-be 35-year-old quarterback is palpable. Wilson is playing an efficient brand of football.

Still, some of Wilson's critics are stubbornly holding onto their freezing-cold takes, and as a result, many in the media are demanding more from the Broncos' signal-caller going down the stretch. NFL.com's Adam Schein is one such doubter, who put together a list of nine quarterbacks with the most to prove down the stretch with Wilson checking in at No. 6.

Russ' rapport with Courtland Sutton has been gold, as evidenced by crucial, highlight-reel connections in each of the past two weeks. On the season, Wilson has completed 69 percent of his passes while producing a 19:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 104.3 passer rating. Clearly, a huge step up from his disastrous Denver debut in 2022. But is Wilson truly earning Payton's trust as his QB for the foreseeable future? Can Russ guide the Broncos to the playoffs for the first time since the team's Super Bowl-winning campaign of 2015? These questions linger as we hit the stretch run.

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

Three or four weeks ago, Wilson popping up on Schein's 'prove it' list would have been understandable because he was yet to prove he could win with Payton. Four big wins later, including three against plus-.500 opponents and another vs. a team that just defeated a previously two-loss Detroit Lions squad on Thanksgiving, and Wilson has put the NFL on notice, though Schein apparently hasn't checked his mail yet.

Vintage Russ seems to have climbed back into the saddle.

Suddenly, the Broncos' aspirations have changed. Instead of prognosticating over 2024 draft positioning, Wilson's gutsy late-game performances have proved pivotal in powering the Broncos back into playoff contention.

Wilson turning things around under the pressure of a 1-5 start and amid quite difficult circumstances doesn't boil down to just one factor — as Schein accurately points out.

Firstly, Payton staying the course with Wilson allowed the veteran QB the vital time on task to assimilate the new system and bounce back from a horrendous start to the 2023 campaign. Add into the mix Wilson's newfound chemistry with Sutton, and the QB's confidence has grown to heretofore unseen levels as a Bronco.

Secondly, the Wilson-to-Sutton connection when the game is on the line will be Denver's currency moving forward. Payton is setting up the Broncos to win with a predatory defense, a physical, committed ground attack complemented by a playmaking QB in critical situations, and a fundamentally sound special teams unit.

After arriving in the league back in 2012 with so much to prove as an undersized third-round draft pick, Wilson is seemingly building it all from the ground up again, relishing his team's competitive relevance.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!