If the Denver Broncos' win against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 5 was a defining win for the team in the Sean Payton era, then the defining decision was Payton's call to go for two when the Broncos scored a touchdown after being down 17-10.
The Broncos climbed all the way back from down 17-3 in the 4th quarter to score 18 unanswered points, including an 8-point possession that gave them the lead. After Bo Nix threw a touchdown to tight end Evan Engram, Sean Payton saw an opportunity.
Broncos fans everywhere saw a head coach that had forsaken a similar opportunity against Cincinnati last year, and multiple other occasions played it "safe", take a completely different approach. And the result was franchise-altering.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton went for two to go for the win
“Well, number one, we felt situationally with time left on the clock. We came here to win a game and I had two or three calls that I loved. So, sometimes you use those calls inside the five, but we got to a call that I had a lot of confidence in and the guys executed. It was perfect. But we felt– I think there were seven and a half minutes. Let's do that. Let's keep being aggressive..."
- Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)
This is how you inspire a team. This is how you put some confidence in your offense, your quarterback, your playmakers. Sean Payton has had chances in the past to do something similar, but this was a turning point moment for everyone and we all saw how the players responded.
The win against the Eagles is a flag planted in the ground for the Denver Broncos under head coach Sean Payton. Prior to the win against the Eagles, the Broncos had been criticized for not being able to win one-score games, not being able to beat elite teams, and not being on the same level as the best teams in the NFL despite being talked about as one of the top teams in the league.
There is a new mentality in the locker room that the Broncos don't have to fear anyone in the league. They got blown out by the Bills and Ravens last year. They were still "little brother" against the Chiefs when they lost on a potential game-winning field goal. Even though the Eagles have been struggling offensively this season, the Broncos were not expected to win this game.
Everyone penciled it in as a loss, but the decision to go for two and take the lead in the 4th quarter proved to everyone in the organization and in the fan base that this team has turned another corner.