Although the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers’ seasons came to a close at the same time, each sent packing on Wild Card Weekend, the Broncos are much more optimistic about their season than the Steelers. And Denver head coach Sean Payton is a much happier man than a season ago. Recapping the Broncos’ season Wednesday, Payton said Denver is in a far better place now than last year, ostensibly due to strong quarterback play by rookie Bo Nix after almost two seasons with veteran Russell Wilson.
“We’re a lot closer than we were at this time a year ago,” Payton told reporters to conclude his year-end presser. “That was misery, sorrow, drudgery. Give me some other adjectives. That was brutal. I’ll say that.”
A year ago, the Broncos finished up an 8-9 season with a middling offense. Wilson was benched by season’s end to protect against suffering a severe injury and while the Broncos finished second in a weak AFC West, the playoffs seemed far away.
They quickly turned things around. After a strained relationship with Wilson, Payton found his quarterback in Oregon’s Bo Nix. Following a slow start, Nix had one of the league’s best rookie seasons and threw for nearly 30 touchdowns as Denver finished with a top-10 scoring attack. The Broncos got hot at the end of the season and won five of their last seven to make the postseason for the first time since 2015, their Super Bowl year led by Peyton Manning.
Getting over that hump is a big franchise milestone providing relief in the entire locker room. Payton’s comment likely reflects multiple aspects of the team, including an improved defense and some own job security to avoid hot-seat questions had Payton missed the playoffs in consecutive years. But he hasn’t hidden his feelings toward Wilson and the arranged marriage that quickly ended in divorce. In separate comments, Denver GM George Paton credited Payton for being willing to eat Wilson’s remaining salary and move on from the nine-time Pro Bowler.
For a time, Wilson felt like Pittsburgh’s treasure. But with a five-game losing streak and playoff drought that remains intact, the Steelers might be feeling similar to the Broncos a year ago. Especially following a report that Wilson and OC Arthur Smith didn’t get along. Like Denver, Pittsburgh could be searching for a new quarterback in the hopes of finding a long-term answer. In a weaker quarterback class, they could have a harder time.
