NEW ORLEANS — He let Bo Nix cook.
It can be rationalized as a short week, limited practice reps, or just common sense. But in his domecoming on Thursday night, Sean Payton called a game that fit his fledgling rookie quarterback’s skillset.
Who Dat? Not Drew dat.
In his first time back as a coach in New Orleans since he quit in 2021, Payton crashed Drew Brees’ Hall of Fame luncheon during the day, then spent the evening proving he could win without him.
It was with shock and delight that Broncos Country — many made this their one road trip as they ate and drank on Bourbon Street — watched one of the NFL’s worst offenses operate with urgency and simplicity.
This is why Saints fans told me they want Payton back. He is apparently good at his job and Dennis Allen, his replacement, is not (if he finishes the season employed, it will be an upset).
For six weeks, Payton acted like he was coaching the quarterback he wanted (No. 9), not the one he had (No. 10). As a result, the Broncos made every yard look hard during the team’s 3-3 start, especially in the first half where Nix ranked dead last in yards per pass attempt, touchdowns (zero) and quarterback rating.
Thursday, Payton morphed into Rodney Dangerfield and went “Back to School.” At Oregon. And Auburn. Even after somehow throwing between two open receivers on the same play, costing the Broncos points in a moment that remains hard to unsee, Nix got his groove back. He threw for 164 yards and ran for 75.
He hit slants to Troy Franklin, his college running mate. He connected on quick hitters to Marvin Mims Jr., who was released from witness protection. He lobbed screens to Javonte Williams, and found Lucas Krull down the middle of the field (Denver has a tight end who can catch, who knew?).
Lucas Krull (85) of the Denver Broncos goes airborne after running after the catch as Tyrann Mathieu (32) and Johnathan Abram (24) of the New Orleans Saints team up for a stop during the second quarter at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
And Nix ran like Forrest Gump every chance he got.
This is not the way to develop a rookie quarterback not named Lamar Jackson. The NFL requires succeeding from the pocket. But in a Thursday game where iPads replace work in real pads, Payton leaned on Nix’s athleticism.
He called boots, one-side reads, and, when trouble surfaced, told the kid to use his legs. As Nix raced down the visitor’s sideline for 32 yards in the third quarter, it drove home the point that Payton found clarity in brevity.
Football is not as hard as coaches make it. Sometimes it comes down to a simple question: What do we do well? OK, let’s do that.
Payton made it easy for Nix. Who needs gumbo when a burger and fries will suffice?
On Nix’s longest run of the season, it originated from a direct snap and he sprinted around the end — the type of play you see under Friday night lights across the country. Nix is on pace to rush for 615 yards this season, leaving him within reach of Tim Tebow’s franchise record of 660 set in 2011.
His 75 yards on the ground ranked top five for a single game in Broncos history, more than John Elway ever delivered. Nix finished well shy of Norris Weese’s apex of 120 set in 1976, but it is easy to squint and see him eclipsing 100 someday.
Extrapolating meaning from this performance requires the suspension of belief. The Broncos are not reaching the playoffs with Nix’s legs when his feet still require plenty of work in the passing game. Payton is accustomed to stressing a defense with go routes, and layered progressions. But those salad days came with Brees, a future Hall of Famer, and a battery of playmakers.
The Broncos are not equipped to win one-on-ones (they ranked 29th in yardage and 24th in scoring through six weeks). They need the scheme to dream.
And against his former club, Payton recognized that the Saints use a tackle-free defense, and planned accordingly. The Broncos collected their most rushing yards since 2013. Payton remained committed to the ground attack, realizing bloody knuckles can be as beautiful as a post route.
Payton downplayed this matchup all week, expecting a cool reception. But he is obsessed with winning, and it’s hard to believe he didn’t know what the optics would look like if Nix lost to Spencer Rattler, a late-round rookie quarterback surrounded by backups because of a rash of injuries.
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Payton will forever be welcome here, his legacy attached to a Super Bowl title and the city’s rebirth after Hurricane Katrina. He will always be on the Mount Rushmore of New Orleans sports figures. When he left, some fans felt betrayed. Three years later, they miss his attitude, arrogance and confidence, even as one fan screamed, “Sean, you suck” from the upper deck late in the fourth quarter.
In Denver, Payton doesn’t need to mansplain winning. We know what it looks like. Thursday, Payton lived up to his reputation. He meshed with Nix, the player for whom he is attached at the hip. It came with irony because he never really bent for Russell Wilson. That divorce is final. No sense in reliving the fights.
This season is about the rookie and this version of Nix felt promising.
It was a bit awkward, kind of cool, and memorable. You know, like most homecomings.
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