NEW ORLEANS – It was like old times for Sean Payton. He mixed the run and the pass with efficiency and his team rolled to a win at the Superdome.
Only this time Payton was coaching the Denver Broncos, not the New Orleans Saints. He led them to a resounding 33-10 victory Thursday night in his first game against the team he once coached for 15 seasons and led to a Super Bowl win.
“It was kind of emotional,’’ Payton said.
The Saints inducted former star quarterback Drew Brees into their Hall of Fame at halftime. But during the game, rookie quarterback Bo Nix, who has been said to have Brees-like attributes, dissected New Orleans.
Nix completed 16 of 26 passes for 164 yards and led the Broncos to a 16-3 halftime lead. He was helped on the ground by Javonte Williams, who carried 14 times for 88 yards for two touchdowns, including eight times for 59 yards in the first half. It was the best game for Williams since he rushed for 102 yards as a rookie on Dec. 5, 2021, against Kansas City. As a team, Denver rolled up 225 yards on the ground, its most in a game since 2013.
Payton returned to New Orleans after he had resigned from the Saints following the 2021 season and then took 2022 off before coming to Denver in 2023. He led the Saints to their only Super Bowl win, a 31-17 triumph over the Indianapolis Colts in February 2010.
“There were a lot of moments,’’ Payton said of coming back to the Superdome. “You get a chance to see old players and be with this team and this ownership group. It’s the reason you miss the one year out (of 2022). You miss relationships and you miss making memories.”
Payton, who became the eighth coach in NFL history to have beaten every team in the league, received the game ball in the locker room from owner Greg Penner after the resounding win and said that “meant a lot." It also meant a lot for Nix to see what unfolded for his coach.
“It was awesome,” Nix said. “The Saints meant a lot to him. “He was there for a while. He had amazing success and it’s tough to go back to a place where you called home for that long and you fought for it and now, you’re playing against (the Saints). It was special. It was a great moment. I’m happy for him.”
The Saints are decimated by injuries and were perhaps hurt more by playing on a short week than Denver. They suffered another serious blow when cornerback Paulson Abedo was taken off by a cart in the second quarter with his knee in an air cast and lost for the game.
The Broncos took advantage of the undermanned Saints early, getting in the first half three of the four field goals Wil Lutz had on the night and an 8-yard touchdown run by Williams.
“We wanted to start fast,’’ Payton said. “I thought our preparation was good (on a short week).”
Williams looked as good as he has since rushing for 903 yards in that rookie year of 2021, before he suffered a serious knee injury in October 2022. Williams scored two touchdowns in a game for the first time in his four-year NFL career and caught three passes for 23 yards.
“It felt great,’’ Williams said. “Just to get the win in New Orleans for coach Payton and getting the two touchdowns and going into the (mini) bye week. So, I get to enjoy it a little longer.”
The Broncos raised their record to 4-3 and talk of them making the playoffs for the first time since 2015 seems reasonable. The Saints dropped to 2-5 and their playoff chances are fading fast.
The Broncos put plenty of pressure on Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, who replaced the injured Derek Carr for the second straight game, sacking him six times. The final sack of the night, with 4:06 left in the game, was by linebacker Justin Strnad, which forced a fumble that linebacker Cody Barton returned 52 yards for a touchdown.
It was quite a night for Barton. Late in the first quarter, the blitzing linebacker hit Rattler hard on a sack and he lost a fumble that was recovered by linebacker Kwon Alexander at the Denver 45. Alexander was elevated from the practice squad earlier in the day and started the game for the Broncos.
“What’s on my mind is I dropped that pick,’’ said Barton, who early in the game had dropped what could have been an easy interception. “But it was just one of those nights that comes to you.”
On his touchdown, Barton scored easily and was able to back into the end zone.
“First NFL touchdown, so I just kind of celebrated,’’ said Barton, a six-year veteran. “Just kind of had some fun.”
The fumble recovery by Alexander led to a 32-yard field goal by Lutz early in the second quarter for a 6-0 lead. Williams made it 13-0 midway through the quarter with his first touchdown.
The Saints cut the lead to 13-3 on a 35-yard field goal by Blake Grupe on the first play after the two-minute warning. On Denver’s next possession, New Orleans safety Tyrann Mathieu dropped a Nix pass on the Saints 32 that should have been an easy interception with plenty of running room. With the Broncos given a reprieve, Lutz booted a 52-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the half for a 16-3 lead.
The Broncos extended the lead to 19-3 on a 38-yard field goal by Lutz early in the third quarter. They went up 26-3 on Williams’ second touchdown, a 5-yard run midway through the quarter.
The rout was on at that point. Most of the fans already had departed by the time Barton scored his touchdown and when the Saints got a meaningless touchdown with 1:22 left on a 12-yard pass from reserve quarterback Jake Haener to Cedrick Wilson Jr.
When the game ended, Payton went to midfield and hugged a number of Saints players, including star defensive end Cam Jordan and star running back Alvin Kamara. It was indeed emotional.
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