Time for Broncos’ Sean Payton to prove he’s worth $18 million

You could count on one hand the number of times Sean Payton seemed relaxed in his Friday news conferences last season. Maybe one finger. Like the middle one.

That is what made Friday interesting and further proof of his comfort level with his second Broncos team entering its first game of the season. He entertained questions, both broad and narrow. He cracked a smile, even showing a slice of self-deprecating humor regarding his college study habits.

Payton has found a desirable role straight out of central casting: the underdog. He’s reveling in it. He might as well be wearing Air Buds instead of Air Jordans.

“I think there’s a bit of pride in all of us in what we do and a competitive nature,” Payton said when I asked about what he likes about his team being overlooked. “I think a really good motivating factor, and not just in sports but with all of us, is the fear of failure. That’s pretty powerful. I think — and I don’t want to use the word ‘I’ — we like a challenge, and that’s a challenge.”

The Broncos as cold-nosed mutts is not something we are used to around here. But this is their reality. They enter the season rebuilding, with sportsbooks predicting five wins. The Seattle Seahawks are six-point favorites on Sunday. Anyone the Broncos play will be a popular survivor pool pick.

OK, coach, time to justify that $18 million salary.

Last season Payton came across as arrogant. This year, he appears confident. You don’t think Payton believes he can outsmart Seattle’s Mike Macdonald?

Consider this: In his career, Payton boasts a 28-11 record vs. rookie coaches, counting the playoffs. He is 12-4 in the first half of the season, including victories against three Mikes — McCarthy, Smith and Zimmer.

Forgive the extrapolation, but it does not diminish the stat. Payton is at his best in games like this. When your resume boasts a Super Bowl title, when your legacy creates a compelling argument for Canton, it’s on you to deliver an A grade on the X’s and O’s. No excuses.

Macdonald features a staff with first-time coordinators. Payton has to outcoach him just as Pete Carroll won wits two years ago vs. Nathaniel Hackett. Though, in fairness, Nate was more like Ronald McDonald than Mike.

Payton offered shades of his Saints past last season. He led the Broncos to meaningful games in December, briefly flirting with a postseason berth. Russell Wilson provides a mulligan for 2023, not necessarily because of his performance, but because of the fit and the fact that Payton would have never acquired him in the first place.

This year is different. Payton has his quarterback in Bo Nix. He has a roster intertwined with youth, players who benefit most from teaching and guidance. This is what Payton enjoys most. It has shone through in his attitude and energy this summer.

“I wasn’t sure he knew my name for a while,” rookie running back Audric Estime said with a laugh. “But then he began telling me stuff about me I couldn’t believe he knew. He knows and connects with the players.”

OK, show us. It might not be reflected in the record, but Payton’s excellence must reveal itself in improvement, discipline and Nix’s progress. Payton is fond of saying when evaluating players that you don’t have to see it all the time, but you have to see it.

Well, coach, we are waiting.

Remember “The Six Million Dollar Man,” the TV series in the 1970s? For its money, the government received a rebuilt astronaut with bionic implants that gave him superhuman strength, speed and vision. For $18 million, the Broncos need a coach with uncanny instincts, impeccable clock management and a vision for the future.

Payton has shown his worth in Seattle. He is 3-3 at Lumen Field — the Marshawn Lynch Beastquake loss still stings — but has won two straight. He posted a victory with Teddy Bridgewater in 2019 and Jameis Winston in 2021. The latter game is revealing because Winston was a reclamation project. He completed 19 of 35 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown. He rushed eight times for 40 yards. He committed no turnovers. If you are wondering what a Nix line could look like in an upset, this is it.