Sean Payton's Broncos fall apart in 'embarassing' 70-20 loss at Miami

Updated Sep. 25, 2023 11:45 a.m. ET

Associated Press

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton called Sunday's 70-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins embarrassing — something that will be tough to rewatch on tape for the players and coaches — in a postgame news conference that lasted less than five minutes.

Denver gave up nearly 800 yards of total offense, including 350 yards rushing, and were overpowered by the Dolphins on both sides of the ball. Now they're 0-3 for the second time in four seasons with few positives to take away from Sunday's output.

“We knew we were playing a real good offense," said Payton, only in his third game as Denver's coach, "but we've got to look closely at what we were doing. When somebody runs the ball up and down the field like those guys did, and throws it up and down the field, it's not acceptable.”

It was Denver's most lopsided loss since the NFL and AFL merged in 1970. The Broncos lost 59-14 to the Raiders on Oct. 24, 2010, with Josh McDaniels as coach.

The Dolphins finished two points shy of the NFL’s regular-season record set in 1966 when Washington scored 72 points against the Giants, and they likely would have broken that record if coach Mike McDaniel had elected to kick a chip-shot field goal instead of kneeling on the ball in the final minute.

McDaniel said after the game that he didn't feel it was necessary to go for the field goal.

“That doesn’t have a bearing on the overall season outcome,” McDaniel said. “The message that I thought it would send wasn’t really in line with how I view things ... that’s not really what I’m about."

Russell Wilson completed 23 of 38 passes for 306 yards and an interception. He had a 12-yard TD pass to Courtland Sutton on Denver’s second possession, but the Broncos' offense was largely stagnant. Sutton lost two fumbles.

Denver finished with 363 total yards, converting on just 3 of 12 third-down attempts.

“From a leadership standpoint, I think the biggest thing we have to do is learn everything that we can from the film,” said Wilson, who had never started his career 0-3. “Learn what we did well. Learn what we didn’t do so well.”

The Broncos had two touchdowns wiped away by penalties in the second quarter. Receiver Brandon Jones was called for offensive pass interference to wipe away a 7-yard TD catch by Sutton, then Jones was flagged for an illegal shift that erased Jerry Jeudy's 6-yard TD catch.

Only the Green Bay Packers (27) have been penalized more than the Broncos at 26.

“I think the best thing we can do is come back on Monday and have the best film session we can have," Wilson said, "have the best work ethic we can have. Everybody is giving their all, but there is more that we can do and we’ll make sure we do that.”

Receiver Marvin Mims Jr. scored on a 99-yard kick return in the fourth, which made it 63-20.

Payton said that while usually the team would move on to the next game quickly, this one will take a few days of examination and reflection.

Denver plays at Chicago next week.

“Get off the mat and get ready for next week, right? That’s the No. 1 thing," Payton said.

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