DENVER — Social media can latch on to, then spread around, the darnest things.
Between the third and fourth quarters Sunday, a few seconds after his Broncos had scored a touchdown to narrow their deficit against the Chicago Bears to 28-14, Denver head coach Sean Payton had his administrative assistant Paul Kelly cut a few inches off the sleeves of his Broncos’ pullover. The jaggedly tailored sleeves fell about halfway between the elbow and the wrist.
It was warm, about 80 degrees as the bright autumn sun rolled over Lake Michigan and splashed its rays on the visiting sideline. But the sleeve adjustment was more about comfort.
“The sleeves were, they weren’t a new pullover but they’ve got kind of an elastic finish right by your wrist that was a little like -- there was no air getting in and out,’’ Payton said Monday morning in his day-after-game conference call. “So we had to give it some air. It was just a tight fit around the wrist so we made it a loose fit.”
There you go. Cameras caught the sleeve scraps dropped untidily on the sidelines. Did anyone pick them up in the name of cleanliness and keepsake? The Broncos, once down, 28-7 to the lowly Bears, rallied to win, 31-28.
Payton was in a business-only mood Monday, already intent on getting his 1-3 Broncos ready to play the New York Jets this Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High. The Jets will bring in offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was the Broncos’ head coach last year. Hackett was fired just 15 games, and 11 losses into his first season.
During training camp, Payton said in an interview with USA TODAY that among the Broncos’ issues last year was they suffered from “one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL.”
A couple days later, Payton said he shouldn’t have made such denigrating comments.
“Obviously, I needed a little bit more restraint and I regret that,” he said.
Asked to revisit the controversy Monday as Jets week begins, Payton said, “I’ve already addressed, a day later.”
Other topics Payton did address:
The Denver defense
Again it was poor for three quarters before coming up with four terrific series in the fourth quarter against the Bears.
“I said this to the team just 15 minutes ago, I said I’m encouraged we fought back into that game,’’ Payton said. “I said but, man, let’s not finish today, when we’re done watching this tape, and feel like we’re content at all with how we played.
“Too many things that are still disappointing or things that we have to clean up and it’s the same thing offensively. We stalled there for a period after the first touchdown, we went a third of the game struggling. That sense of urgency has to exist again this week. We’re going to play against much better teams here in the next month, month and a half.”
After the Jets this Sunday, the Broncos play four days later at Kansas City against the AFC West mighty Chiefs, then home against the Packers and Chiefs again before their week 9 bye.
The play of quarterback Russell Wilson
The Broncos’ quarterback was terrific against the Bears on the opening drive, and the final 19 minutes of the game. He threw three touchdown passes in all and is the NFL’s No. 3-rated quarterback through week 4.
“He’s one of those guys who’s a lot of like Drew (Brees) in this way, they kind of saw the game and the world and the work and the journey as glass half-full, upbeat,’’ Payton said. “At a time when you’re down 21 points, that momentum can swing very quickly and he was feeling that confidence that, ‘Hey, just get us the ball, here we go,’ and I think that’s somewhat contagious.”
Game balls
Rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin got one for his 72 yards rushing, 32 yards receiving and a touchdown off 10 touches Sunday. Jonathon Cooper (sack and touchdown fumble return), Nik Bonitto (2.5 sacks) and Wil Lutz (game-winning, 51-yard field goal in final 2 minutes) received their pigskin reward during the team meeting Monday.
On McLaughlin, who had all that production despite getting just 16 offensive snaps, Payton said: “He played really well. He’s one of the guys who got a game ball this morning. He was explosive in the run and the pass. He gave us some juice so we’ll continue to look at his role.”
Offensive operations
The Broncos continue to burn first-half timeouts because the offense wasn’t going to get the play off in time. And there were five false starts in the game against the Bears by the offensive line – two by right tackle Mike McGlinchey, one each by center Lloyd Cushenberry III, right guard Quinn Meinerz and left tackle Garett Bolles.
There may be something in Wilson’s cadence that is causing his blockers to flinch.
“The noticeable progress that needs to be made are the false starts,’’ Payton said. “You can’t be third-and-1 and wind up third-and-6. You just can’t do that. I think there’s a number of things that are contributing to it. We’ve got to streamline the cadence so that we’re all on the same page and get that cleaned up.”
*On starting Bonitto ahead of Randy Gregory at one outside linebacker position, and Ja’Quan McMillian over Essang Bassey at the nickel defensive back spot.
“We’re constantly, every week, looking at rotations,’’ Payton said. “Sometimes it’s somewhat deceiving. … We’re just trying to do what’s best for our team.”
*Sunday, it was 0-3 Chicago against the 0-3 Broncos. This Sunday at Empower Field, it will be the 1-3 Jets against the 1-3 Broncos.
“They’ve obviously gone through an injury (with Aaron Rodgers) at quarterback,’’ Payton said of the Jets. “They’re playing outstanding in the kicking game and on defense. Offensively last night you saw a much better team in a big moment and had some brutally tough calls down the stretch. It’s a good football team and you can see it on tape, you can see it when you watch them play and that’s where our focus will be this week.”
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