Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton drew reactions after his description of the Jaguars ahead of a key Week 16 matchup.

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi as Sean Payton Dishes on Facing Ex-Broncos WR Ahead of Jaguars Game.

Bo Nix’s late-season surge reflects a growing balance between his natural playmaking ability and Sean Payton’s structured offense, a partnership that is reshaping the Broncos’ outlook as they push toward the postseason.

After Denver clinched a playoff berth after a win over the Packers, Sean Payton delivered a blunt reminder about what still matters most.

On the Denver Broncos' opening possession vs. the Green Bay Packers, rookie running back RJ Harvey was stripped of the ball, turning it over. It was the first fumble of his career, coming in his 14th NFL game.

In the aftermath of the Broncos' most authoritative win yet -- a 34-26 shootout over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday -- this thread of shared faith in Sutton snaked from locker to locker, a near cult-hero-level appreciation for the 6-foot-4 bastion of this surging Denver roster.

In a production meeting earlier this season with NFL Network analyst and Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, Payton used a cross-sport analogy to further describe the difference between the passers.

Locke played so well in relief of Jackson that Denver signed him to a two-year extension worth $7 million, and was penciled in as a starter in 2024. That coincided with the Broncos releasing Simmons, and signing Jones, the latter of whom Locke would go on to start next to for 15 games.