The Denver Broncos have not been a September team under coach Sean Payton. After the Broncos' Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, they rebounded with a nice win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. With that win, the Broncos improved to a dismal 2-8 under Payton in the month of September (Weeks 1-3) since he started coaching Denver in 2024.
However, Payton more than makes up for the slow starts with strong Octobers, Novembers and Decembers. Payton is 30-12 in all other months and weeks of the year. Those finishes have propelled the Broncos to two playoff berths and championship expectations in their fourth season under Payton.
"We’ve kind of proven that for the past three years now (that we can overcome slow starts)," All-Pro defensive line Zach
Allen said after the win over the Jaguars. "So it’s kind of funny how everyone’s freaking out after one game. It’s been like four straight years of slow starts."
The Broncos are now 2-8 in the Payton Era in Weeks 1-3 and 30-12 in all other regular-season weeks.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) September 15, 2026
It's not just Payton with slow starts. Quarterback Bo Nix has more turnovers, a lower QBR, the lowest completion percentage and the fewest yard thrown for in the month of September than any other month on the calendar excluding the playoffs.
Bo Nix by month: pic.twitter.com/AzWiANm6xo
— Lou Scataglia (@LouScatagliaPO) September 15, 2026
Allen said the Broncos have to stop the September slide this week.
"We got a really tough opponent this upcoming week," Allen said. "We can’t afford any slow starts or lapses, so just got to get going."
Just a few of many examples
— SleeperBroncos (@SleeperBroncos) September 15, 2026
▫️ 2007 Giants: 0-2. Wild-card team. Beat the 18-0 Patriots in the Super Bowl
▫️ 2015 Chiefs: 1-5. Finished 11-5
▫️ 2014 Patriots: 2-2 after getting crushed by Kansas City. Super Bowl champs
▫️ Us last year lol
The Broncos will be just fine pic.twitter.com/xAbYd5sqi6
The Broncos face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football. The Broncos hope to get off to a fast start, and beat one of the top teams in the NFC in Week 3.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Broncos have proven they can rebound after slow starts
