Broncos 13, Jets 11
SEAN PAYTON: Looks like a theater in here. Obviously, good win on the road. A gritty performance by our defense. It goes without saying. We'll look at the film and there will be a number of things in the kicking game and offensively we want to clean up.
Nonetheless, it was great to get the win. They're hard to come by, and especially the way it finished late in that game, you know, they're just on the cusp of field goal range, and we made the plays we needed to. So with that, I'll answer questions.
Q. Sean, your pass rush in general, nine sacks.
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, you don't really hear of negative 20 yards passing so that's a little unusual. I think they had 80 some yards total offense. Our defense was outstanding today.
Q. The nine sacks, is it more impressive going against a mobile quarterback?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, I would say so because I don't feel like -- there was a play or two. But for the most part, we kept them in that spot we wanted them, yeah.
Q. On the offensive side, you moved the ball in the first quarter and then really slowed down.
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah. We're going to look at the tape. We're going to be upset about the pre-snap fouls, holding, false start on a third and one. I think there's going to be a number of things that we're going to look at that we have to clean up with. Obviously, that starts with me and our coaching staff. I felt the same way in the kicking game. I felt we lost that battle. And fortunately, our defense, you know, played well enough to get the win.
Q. You talked about the trip to Tampa and then New York --
SEAN PAYTON: I think from a schedule standpoint, and I said it earlier, the concern in the itinerary was Monday Night Football Eastern time. Once you get over here, we kind of fell into our normal week schedule. Now, it will be unusual. In the years past, when you played here, it was always a bye.
But, yeah, each step is a step along the way, you know, and that was an important game.
Q. When you win ugly like that?
SEAN PAYTON: It doesn't have to be aesthetically pleasing. In three weeks, the key is the corrections, and the troubling part is it was a point of emphasis going into this game. So that's the thing that we have to look at ourselves, you know, what we're doing, how much we're doing. But yeah, I mean, they put you in those third downs where you really don't want to be in.
Q. How much do you pride yourself on your play because of that last drive where you could have put it away with the first down. Disappointing?
SEAN PAYTON: Listen, it's frustrating. And like I said, we were fortunate defensively. We rose to the occasion.
Q. The starting tailback on that fake lines up --
SEAN PAYTON: Listen, I think my wife knew it was going to be fake. I mean, it was a half a yard. A lot of time spent -- the offensive line stayed out, and we're in a heavy group. I know when their offensive line stayed in there, it wasn't a surprise. It would have been the equivalent of running a sneak. So there wasn't that we're just able to get a half a yard, and you'd like to be able to cancel those gaps a little bit better.
Q. The Jets home game the majority of the time felt like a lot of time it was (no microphone).
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, I think it was good. I think we travel well. A beautiful stadium. I've never seen it before. I think it would be a tough stadium to play in because you could tell the noise doesn't travel in the way it's built. I was proud of the fan support. You could feel that coming out pregame.
And then we felt we'd be able to use our cadence, which we did, and I'm pretty sure they did. There's like an ambient noise that you get when you play over here. For those fans that came all the way over here, obviously we're thankful for them.
Q. Is there a part of you at some point in the third quarter, you're sort of shocked during the course of the game?
: No, there's nothing that surprise -- you know, you've covered this game long enough. You let a team hang around that's hungry and, again, the relationship I have with Aaron, there's two different types of 0-5 clubs. There's the type you see on film they're not playing hard. He's the one evaluating who is staying. It's not the other way around.
We knew they'd come out and fight. We talked about the Lions when he was there, and Campbell had a similar start to the season. Then it flipped. Theirs will flip at some point. You just hope to get through it. But having done this long enough, you're disappointed you're in a dog fight like that, but you're in it so you've got to figure it out.
Q. In the second quarter, you probably played your best football in today's game. Did you feel you should be further ahead?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, I think, look, when you think about the first two possessions for them offensively, both of their first two possessions started on our side of the 50 with the fumble and the kick return. The first time our defense come out on the field, they're defending a short field.
We were really fortunate that we held them to field goals. And offensively, we are going to look at the film and see that we left a lot of yardage out there and opportunities out there. But, again, the way we played defensively, it was impressive.
Q. The Surtain forced fumble got overturned. When you saw it, did you think it was getting overturned?
SEAN PAYTON: It's hard to tell. When it gets overturned, you're on to the next. I think from our upstairs down, there wasn't anything that surprised us relative to fumble, no fumble. There wasn't one of these ones where -- and there were a couple of yards to gain, spots that they're able to look at. Once they confirm or adjust, you're not challenging that. But I didn't have a good look at it. The guys upstairs felt like it was a correct call.
Q. How did you feel about the performance of Matt Peart? He obviously had a few penalties.
SEAN PAYTON: Listen, we'll go back and look at the tape, but it wasn't -- listen, it wasn't just him. We had a number of errors that there will be a lot of us that want to clean some stuff up.
Q. Sean, are you open to playing more international games, maybe Spain in 2016?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah. When I first started this, there are certain things you do differently when you get older through experience, and one of the things I've found is bringing a team on the road for a period of time is beneficial.
In New Orleans, we were relocated three or four times because of hurricanes, literally. Three different times we spent a week somewhere else. I always thought our team was better for it.
To answer your question, yes, we were hoping to get this game. And when you get it, the way our season sets up now, when you're nine home, seven away, when you get this as an away game, you know, it's a plus because it's kind of a neutral field. So I like traveling the team. I think they're around each other, and I think it's a positive.
Q. The quarterback sliding for safety versus making sure you --
SEAN PAYTON: It's a great question. Bo, he uses his instincts. For the most part, you saw him slide. There was the one play where it was holy cow. Yeah, he's got pretty good instincts, though.
Q. Sean, the fourth and five in the first half, the first half where he threw to Engram, just kind of a decision-making process there?
SEAN PAYTON: The field position, it was midfield. I felt like we had a couple low number calls that we liked. And I wanted to try to jump start something there, but it was a good play by the Q and the tight end.
Q. Coach, a lot of us were pretty surprised by the Jets' strategy at the end of the first half. Is there anything that last drive that caught you off guard?
SEAN PAYTON: Well, I think, yeah, I was too. We were waiting either a Hail Mary or something. And then the clock ran out so that was a little surprising. It's unusual.
Q. Coach, through six games now, would you consider this a defensive team?
SEAN PAYTON: Well, it was a defensive team today, and I hope to consider it a defensive team all season. I mean, I think in order to win, I think that's extremely necessary in our league, and they were something.
Q. You've now played six games. Five of them have been one-score games. Does that worry you at all?
SEAN PAYTON: Well, a year ago, we were in the one-score games and didn't fare as well, and it worried all of us, including myself.
Look, if you tune into the Red Zone channel each week, except for one or two games, they all are, you know, down to a field goal or a possession. Did I want this to be a one-score game? No. But it was. And so, fortunately, we've been able to do what maybe last year was a little bit of an Achilles heel.
Q. On special teams, Coach, the kickoff thing has changed dramatically.
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah.
: Knowing how much pride you take on special teams, is it schematic? You guy are usually really tight.
SEAN PAYTON: To answer that fairly, we have to go back and watch it. The big return they had, there's contact made. Still, you know, we kind of knew going in they were one of the top -- they were in the top ten in kick return yardage. But I felt, in a lot of phases, even when we doubled the jammer, you know, you ought to be able to win a look, and they're splitting it or beating us. I think Darren is probably just as disappointed relative to his units as I would be relative to our offense, you know.
Nonetheless, as the head coach, you've got to be excited for the team win.
Q. (No microphone).
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, we got in some loaded fronts. I didn't think we played well up front. We started to hit a few runs late. Look, we'll watch the tape and get a better feel for -- this is a game I thought coming in we were going to be able to run the ball pretty well, and we weren't as effective as we would have liked to have been, obviously.
Q. (No microphone) in the first half, just the thinking there that went into that.
SEAN PAYTON: Tyler was going to miss a day or two, so he's been having good weeks of practice. Probably didn't get enough touches today. And there's a little spark with him. I mean, we've seen it in practice. So that was just a one for one on game day.
Q. Coach, you call this an ugly game yourself. What was the message to the guys in the half to keep them in the game?
SEAN PAYTON: I think at halftime, there's mixed messages. You're talking about where you're at right now and offensively, hey, we're shooting ourselves in the foot. That happened a week ago. We didn't get started until the second half defensively. I thought we were outstanding having the short fields that we defended the first two possessions.
But it was just about finishing and getting the win.
Q. Coach, the pressure you put on the opposing quarterback, he was struggling with his passing game. Did you sense that?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah.
Q. Did you believe he was hesitant in his throwing?
SEAN PAYTON: When you full blitz someone and you're playing with no deep safeties, you're playing with what we call cover zero, the ball's got to come out fairly quick. They were right on that cusp. We kind of felt the 40 was their yard line to attempt to kick, and so when it gets down to they're at the 47, you can't sit back in soft zone cover. You have to really turn the pressure up and then cover them, and we were able to do that.
It's hard to contain an athlete like that. We were able to keep them in the pocket. But I would say those last three or four snaps were all cover zero, full blitz looks that the ball has to come out fast.
Q. Coach, (no microphone) would you be interested in making some additions?
SEAN PAYTON: Oh, man. Yeah, at some point. I think to answer your question, we would always pay attention to what we might be looking for or -- and I think we have time to do that, but I'm not thinking about that right now.
Q. You're 3-0 in London. With the possibility of the NFL talking about every team will play internationally every year, you said yourself you made a point of emphasis to stay the full week. The players have talked about wanting to stay the full week. Do you think that will become the norm around the league?
SEAN PAYTON: Great question. Ours is coming from the sleep expert that we use. We started that schedule in '08, had success with it in '17 or '18, whatever year it was. So by Thursday, I felt like -- here's the difference in how things have changed.
The field right outside our hotel was magnificent. And then, of course, Tottenham Spurs' training facility, they had 12 fields. And so never having been to this stadium, the whole week was outstanding. And I think it's different -- there was a time when teams maybe went away for training camp to a college for five, six weeks, and we don't do that as much anymore. That's why there's something like that's an attraction for me.
Last year, we were at Tampa, stayed out east. But this is a good stretch. Obviously, it was good because we picked up some wins. Nonetheless, I think the cleanup and the debrief and the improvement has to occur relative to where we want to go.
Q. (No microphone).
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, a little bit more man. I think it's a good observation. I think the key was, though, it's easy to say we're going to do this as a pressure. I think the key is how are we going to do that and kind of keep him right where we wanted him. Sometimes that's challenging, and the staff did a great job. I thought we rushed him well.
Q. (No microphone).
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah. Yep, yep. No, listen, that finish was something else.
Q. In the off-season, you mentioned (no microphone).
SEAN PAYTON: Each year, you set your goals. With every team, it starts with winning your division. That's catching Kansas City and, respectfully, they're one of those teams. And then it's your best seeding and to play for your championship.
I felt like just we had made a number of acquisitions and draft -- we drafted a handful of players who will be able to help us. I think we'll be a team that's in the hunt. Certainly, we've got to improve, though. There's a lot of things that you can't do to beat yourself, and I think our penalty numbers are still poor. Our turnover ratio is not anything special. Those things have to improve and I think our players understand that.
Q. Coach, a lot of talk internally about some of the offensive struggles. Anything that the Jets did schematically?
SEAN PAYTON: No. They played well up front. Yeah. I think we'll look at the tape. They certainly defended the run well. We got some heavy fronts, Maybe more than from the Dallas game. We have to adjust to that.
Q. They played a lot of man today.
SEAN PAYTON: They played a lot a man. Yet, there were still snaps of cover 2 and zone. Especially in the second half as they were chasing the lead or the game was close, you'd be right.
Q. American football is a lot of mental work. What do you teach players to stay positive and how do you stay positive?
SEAN PAYTON: We were talking about this. In sports like British football, or soccer, hockey or basketball, there's a spontaneous flow to the games and the unique thing to our sport is there's a play, then a stop, then another play and so.
That's uniquely different. To answer your question, I'm someone that's positive, to be here coaching a team. We've got great makeup and grit. Like a teacher, you like to see all your students doing well and getting an A. That doesn't always happen.
But that being said, I'm proud of the way these guys fought here in the last really two and a half, three weeks, and I think our experience coming over here was fabulous. So hopefully it won't be the last and hopefully won't be the same nail-biting type game we just had. But it was a good win.
Q. Coach, your defense is ninth in the NFL history to reach 13-plus sacks in six games.
SEAN PAYTON: Pretty quick.
Q. What does it mean for the team looking forward?
SEAN PAYTON: I think the feeling in that locker room after the game is, man, you're excited for all of those guys.
There's going to be a game where we're going to have to -- there's ebbs and flows to a season. So, I mean, those guys are excited in there. Most guys understand how difficult it is to win in our league.
So quickly when we get home, we've got to get ready to play a team that came off a big win, another New York team that is playing with confidence and we got to get adjusted going back. And I think we will.
Q. How important is it for the team, for the offense to be able to rely on?
SEAN PAYTON: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. That's our league that's our league sometimes. Obviously, the defense can get one and all the people that handle the operations of the travel, there's so much that goes into the trip like this. You just think that, you know, the equipment's there, set up. I mean, there's so much that goes into it, and they did a great job.
Q. Coach, what is it like to have a defense player of the year on your team and possibly another defense player of the year in Nik?
SEAN PAYTON: We've got a number of them that, listen, you're glad that you have them on your team and are not playing against them.
Some things have changed this press conference. We've gone on for about 20 minutes here, which is fine. Listen, the first time I was here, it used to be a joint press conference. Meaning we played the chargers and so both teams came to the same area. Bo, I'm going to let you go here in a second.
But it was an important game that night for Brees because he was playing, it was the first time he was playing the team that had released him. And just as Bo walked in, I could periph Philip Rivers, and so both teams' coaches and players used the same press conference, and I think I tried to answer questions for 40 minutes just to -- because he and I were like jawing during the game, and I just continued to field questions. So when I asked Pat, I said, is it a joint presser? He said, No, we've got two press rooms.
With that, I'm going to put our quarterback on stage. Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports