Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton understands hoopla will be made regarding his return to New Orleans on Thursday night, but his focus remains on getting a needed victory.
“I say this, it’s about the game. It’s about the win,” Payton said Monday. “The significance of us playing our best football on a short week and it’s about our team. I’ll address that with them tomorrow morning and [say], ‘Hey, let’s understand the significance of getting our fourth win.’ I think that’s the number one thing and then go from there.”
The 3-3 Broncos followed up three consecutive wins with a depressing home loss on Sunday in which they got down 20-0 at halftime while generating just 60 total yards through two quarters. Payton’s crew made it interesting late, but it wasn’t enough in a 23-16 defeat.
The Saints, meanwhile, are also coming off a forgettable performance, allowing 594 yards on Sunday to Tampa Bay, with rookie Spencer Rattler making his first career start.
Payton, who led the Saints to their only Super Bowl title during a 15-year run with the organization, returns to the Bayou this week for the first time as an opposing coach.
“It will be unique,” Payton said of his return to New Orleans. “One of the things we talk about with our players is trying to handle all this stuff ahead of time. I have a great wife whose tickets are done with, family (and) my children. I think those around us know how challenging the short week is as compared to as if it was a full week. Certainly, there will be emotions going back there with players, but I do think that comes up quite a bit in our league. With players and in this case certainly the amount of time I was there, I understand it. We have to deal with the crowd noise. That place is loud, and you guys know that. Fortunately it’s a short week because I haven’t had (a) chance to dive into all the other stuff.
“I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of flowers and warm fuzzies for yours truly, and I get it.”
Saints coach Dennis Allen, who worked under Payton for seven seasons, is also keeping his focus on the field.
“I’ll be honest with you, I don’t think that’s where our focus needs to be,” Allen said. “I think our focus needs to be on our football team and what we have to do to improve. So I think that’s really where our focus is gonna be this week.”
The Saints are coming off a fourth consecutive loss after starting the season 2-0. With their season slipping away, Allen doesn’t have time to think about anything but righting the ship against his former head coach.
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