The Denver Broncos got their butts kicked in Week 16, to be blunt, seeing their 11-game win streak come to an unfortunate end. And it was not one of those close games that Denver wasn't able to come back from - it ended up being a double-digit blowout loss at home.
The crowd was into it for most of the game, but the Jacksonville Jaguars constantly had answers on offense, and it seems like they were able to catch the Broncos' defense off guard more times than not in Week 16. Denver's defense has now allowed 30 points per game at home over the last two contests which is a horrifying figure.
After the game, Sean Payton spoke to the media and was very blunt about the performance. Part of what he said is simply what every single Denver Broncos' fan is currently thinking, too.
Sean Payton says that the Denver Broncos have to 'swallow' this loss
Here is Sean Payton:
Sean Payton on the loss: "You can't spit it out, you have to swallow it."
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) December 22, 2025
This is 100% true - the first emotional reaction after a game like this might be to immediately want to spit it out to get the bad taste out, but the total opposite needs to be done. Since the Denver Broncos are playing on Christmas against the Kansas City Chiefs, they are able to sulk in this mess for four days, and that might be what this team truly need.
Perhaps the Broncos did need to experience what it was like to get punched in the mouth? Fortunately, the Broncos will sit down in their respective meeting and watch this film. They'll be able to see just how poorly they played and also be able to find the necessary corrections before Week 17.
Fortunately, the Kansas City Chiefs may not be a huge challenge, as they are down to their third-string quarterback at this point, which is just insane to think about. Denver getting this loss may end up helping them in the long-term, as they had not lost a game since September before Week 16, and perhaps they needed to be humbled a bit before getting right again?
Maybe I am just off the mark here, but this loss could do wonders for the Denver Broncos, as they surely do not want to experience this type of feeling again this year, and being able to swallow this mess and absorb it could truly help them feel how bad it stings, especially in front of the home crowd.