The Denver Broncos have started 1-5 under new head coach Sean Payton, leading to much pessimism in the fan base.
Despite the poor start, Payton has remained optimistic about the team’s outlook. The coach was asked Wednesday what his message would be to fans in Broncos Country, and Payton pointed to the Detroit Lions as a recent example of a team that started 1-6 before going on to find success.
“There’s a fine line here between a groove and a rut,” Payton explained. “You take a look, and I’ll give you an example — Detroit. A year ago, I watched it as a media member, covering a handful of tough losses. They were 1-6. I know Dan [Campbell] well, and you keep fighting.
“There’s a grit element involved. Some mental toughness that’s involved. Pretty soon, here they are at the end of the season. They were eliminated before [they played their final game], but they were in contention. Here they are now as one of those teams. We’re kind of in that position. We’re bowing up, and we have to.”
The Lions ended up with a 9-8 record last season and they’ve started this season with a 5-1 record. Denver has a long way to go before even dreaming of a record above .500, but Detroit showed that such a turnaround is possible. Now Payton will aim to follow Campbell’s lead and get the Broncos back on track.
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