Head coach Sean Payton said he was proud of how the Denver Broncos responded in a come-from-behind victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night, but he cautioned that their first-half struggles could catch up with them.
"I'm pleased with how we responded," Payton said after the 30-26 victory. "That'll cost us in bigger games. I just believe that. Against teams that are playing better later in the season, ... it will be something we're frustrated about later if we can't clean it up."
Denver trailed 16-0 at halftime before outscoring the Rams 30-10 in the second half. Defensive back Talanoa Hufanga powered the comeback with two fourth-quarter interceptions, including a pick-6 with less than five minutes remaining. After Bo Nix gave the Broncos the lead with under a minute left, Hufanga sealed the victory with an interception off Matthew Stafford in the end zone.
"I'm comfortable with the grit of a team that can play well in the fourth quarter," Payton said. "I'm uncomfortable with how we play at the start of games, if that's a fair answer. You're going to be in tight games, but as the head coach, you can't possibly be comfortable with the way the first half unfolded."
No team has been more successful than the Broncos at squeezing out tight victories over the past two seasons. Since the 2025 campaign, Denver has won 13 of its 16 victories by eight points or less. The team's 13-2 record in one-score games over the last two years leads the NFL in wins and winning percentage.
