Kiszla: Why Sean Payton can lead Broncos to 11-6 record in his first season as coach

On his greatest remaining days as a professional quarterback, Russell Wilson won’t ever be pretty much as good as Patrick Mahomes, one of the best on the planet at his craft.

However after dropping 15 consecutive video games to Kansas Metropolis, the Broncos now have a preventing probability towards the Chiefs as a result of coach Sean Payton can out-scheme and outsmart Andy Reid on any given NFL Sunday.

That is my record of the highest 5 NFL quarterbacks, and I’m sticking to it:

No. 1: Mahomes

No. 2: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati

No. 3: Josh Allen, Buffalo

No. 4: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore

No 5: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia

The old fashioned is useless. Tom Brady has lastly known as it quits, and if he’s good, Aaron Rodgers will do the identical. The younger lions are roaring now. Among the many 5 quarterbacks on the high of the heap, with Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence looming on the fringes, there may be no person older than Mahomes, who celebrated his twenty seventh birthday in September.

Coming into a season wherein Wilson will flip 35 years outdated, I firmly consider he can and will likely be a high quality NFL quarterback once more. However high 5 on the place? Dream on.

And that’s exactly why the Broncos finally did the best factor by buying and selling for Payton after basic supervisor George Paton talked New Orleans down from the Saints’ preliminary demand of two future first-round draft selections. DeMeco Ryans, a 38-year-old former linebacker, wasn’t going to stroll into Dove Valley headquarters and instantly command the respect of Wilson with a plan on the way to repair a quarterback that has slipped off the trail to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.

Payton coached Drew Brees, whom Wilson deeply admires, for an important run of 15 seasons in New Orleans, the place they received a Tremendous Bowl collectively after San Diego had deemed Brees expendable. On the conclusion of a disappointing 5-12 season, Wilson heaped reward on Payton.

“He’s one of many world’s greatest, clearly, a man who has coached a Corridor of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees, who was one among my closest pals,” Wilson stated January 8. “He’s as aggressive as may be, he’s a winner and clearly received a Tremendous Bowl … I used to be capable of be round him on the Professional Bowl and simply the wizardry you’d have on the sphere was simply magnificent.”

Within the ongoing debate about whether or not the Broncos flushed $245 million down the bathroom on a contract extension for Wilson, I actually don’t a lot care whether or not he has an workplace at workforce headquarters or does excessive knees on the workforce flight to London. All that issues is Wilson will perceive who’s the boss from the primary coaching session when Payton is in cost. The veteran quarterback typically appeared to treat Nathaniel Hackett as little greater than one other yes-man in his entourage.

The Broncos beat Carolina 24-10 in Tremendous Bowl 50 with a protection that defiantly yanked the Superman cape off Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. However Denver by no means would’ve gotten to the championship sport with out one of the best job of teaching I’ve witnessed throughout practically 40 years of overlaying sports activities on this dusty outdated cowtown when Gary Kubiak nursed the bruised ego and physique of Peyton Manning to carry collectively a workforce that would’ve simply fallen aside.

Whereas quarterbacks rule within the NFL, teaching issues. The highest 5 coaches within the league? Right here’s my record:

No. 1: Reid

No. 2: Invoice Belichick, New England

No. 3: Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh

No. 4: Payton

No. 5: John Harbaugh, Baltimore

There are Grumpypants amongst us that can quibble that Payton solely received a single Tremendous Bowl in New Orleans. Properly, in his twenty fourth NFL season Reid may lastly win his second championship.

In contrast to Huggy Bear Hackett, who appeared extra eager about profitable Mr. Congeniality than the AFC West, Payton is from the Invoice Parcells college. The Broncos will shortly study to understand that powerful love interprets to victories in a troublesome sport.

The Chiefs aren’t going wherever. However the remainder of this division is smooth, with the Chargers but to show they’ll win huge with Herbert as their quarterback.

With higher damage luck, a revamped offensive line and smarter strikes by Paton in free company, there’s each motive to consider that 2023 is the 12 months Denver ends its playoff drought.

The Broncos employed a world-class soccer coach.

With Payton in cost, put me down for an 11-6 report throughout his first season in Denver.