The Denver Broncos are 8-5 and will be on their bye in Week 14. What is Sean Payton's record after the bye week? The Broncos unfortunately got the latest possible bye week in the 17-game format. They will have just four games left when they return to the field in Week 15.
Their next game is on December 15th, at home, against the 6-7 Indianapolis Colts. Beating the Colts would essentially shut the door on their postseason hopes, and would give the Broncos an even better chance to get into the playoffs. The Broncos do have multiple scenarios available to them to clinch a playoff spot, and most consist of being Indy.
Anyway, one mark of a good head coach is having his team ready to go after the bye week. This is a time of rest for the players and coaches, and a time for them to step away from football for a bit, but it's also a time for the coaching staff to come up with a top-notch gameplan to beat their next opponent.
Sean Payton is nails after the bye week
And for Sean Payton, who has coached 16 games in his career after the bye, he seems to have a great method. The Broncos head coach has a 10-6 record following the bye, which is a .625 winning percentage.
Denver has a .615 winning percentage through 13 games this year and have gone 15-9 over their last 24 games. They should be favored in this game as well, as the Colts are not as good as the Broncos on either side of the ball and also do not have as good of a head coach as Denver does.
Sure, Sean Payton having a stellar record after the bye doesn't mean they'll win this next game, but it does make it more likely if you ask me. The Broncos finish with games against the Colts, Chargers, Bengals, and Chiefs.
They actually play again on December 19th in another Thursday Night Football game. They'll travel to LA to face the Chargers in the primetime showdown.
The Broncos can clinch a playoff spot with just nine wins on the season, as all that would take is a win over the Colts, two more Dolphins losses, and one more Bengals loss, but the more secure scenario for the team is to win at least two of their remaining games, ideally against the Colts and Bengals.
The Denver Broncos are inching closer to the postseason, and their head coach is a buzzsaw after the bye week.