The Denver Broncos are off to a rocky start in 2025 and the schedule is only going to get more difficult.
The Broncos had the lead for much of the game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but several mistakes down the stretch ended up costing them in a 29-28 defeat. Though the Colts marched up and down the field both through the air and on the ground, most Broncos fans wanted to talk about just one play, this one:
The Broncos got screwed by the refs
— Benchwarmer Sports (@bdubsports_) September 14, 2025
60yd fg no good for the Colts and the refs call a leverage penalty on Denver#DENvsIND pic.twitter.com/A5CmTuZcgn
Fans wanted to talk about how bad a call it was and how the Colts did the same thing on the Broncos' field goal attempt minutes earlier, but head coach Sean Payton took ownership due to that penalty happening at all.
"We had a certain field-goal block in the event of a game-ending field goal. But that's on me in that situation. It's not on Darren (Rizzi, the Broncos' special teams coordinator). It's not on Tillman. … My big regret flying home: that’s more for a closer field goal. That’s more for a gimmie than a 60-yard attempt, and that's on me", stated Payton.
It might be a rarely called penalty. You can make the argument that the game shouldn't be decided on a play like that, but why are you even putting yourself in a spot for it to even be a possibility of being called when the other team is trying one from 60 yards out? Go with a standard block and if it doesn't work, take your chances on a 60-yard kick.
The Colts' kicker, Spencer Shrader, missed that kick badly and the Broncos win the game if not for a penalty. But that penalty moved the kick 15 yards closer and it went from incredibly difficult to quite makeable.
READ: Broncos' Week 1 observations that are not overreactions
The Broncos' coaching staff should have made a better decision given the situation, and it cost the team a victory. Payton acknowledged that, which was good, but he needs to be better all the way around as these first two games have left much to be desired from a coaching standpoint.
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