Sean Payton is already running circles around Nathaniel Hackett

We knew Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton would be an upgrade over the incompetent Nathaniel Hackett.

And through just one preseason games, it’s apparent he’s a massive one.

When Payton popped off to USA Today about how terrible of a job Hackett did with the 2022 Broncos, some people got predictably offended. We’re not allowed to say how we feel any more, even if it’s the truth.

Payton didn’t say anything wrong about Hackett. What he did last year before getting fired after just 15 games was indeed one of the worst coaching jobs in NFL history. The Broncos were woefully unprepared to start the season and it showed from the jump.

Between the disastrous final minute in Seattle to the crowd having to countdown the play clock against the Texans, it was abundantly clear Hackett was in over his head. Good high school coaches wouldn’t have let those problems happen.

So, again, Payton didn’t say anything wrong. He just had “two lattes” and let it rip how he really felt. We all saw it. Hackett has no business ever being a head coach again.

But he’s the Jets problem now and we’ll see how their offense looks now that Hackett is reunited with the man who made his career in Aaron Rodgers. The spice level for the Week 5 showdown at Empower Field at Mile High is already through the roof.

What happened in the desert on Friday night though showed how much better Payton is than the guy before him.

First, Payton made the starters go out for a fourth series after failing to score on the first three. Sure, two missed field goals didn’t help, but you could tell Payton wanted Russell Wilson and the starters to find the end zone. And they did when Wilson hit Jerry Jeudy over the middle for a nice touchdown.

Hackett would’ve gotten scared of his own shadow and Wilson would’ve been on the bench long before the second quarter. Heck, he didn’t even play him a single snap in the preseason a year ago.

Payton, though, knows these guys need game action and wasn’t going to be satisfied until they put six points on the board.

“We just, shoot, I wanted to score. You know, and leave a good taste in our mouths,” Payton said after the game.

It was a key piece of coaching in an otherwise meaningless game. There’s a standard being set in Broncos Country by Payton. Do things right — or do them again.

Payton was also noticeably annoyed that his team lost. That’ll happen when you give up a long scoring drive and two-point conversion in the final seconds. Even if most of the guys on the field aren’t going to make the 53-man roster, it simply wasn’t good enough.

Hackett would’ve been long checked out of the game at that point, only worried about his starters and guys who will be out there in Week 1. But not Payton. He wants to win every time the Broncos take the field, preseason or not.

“What I told the team, regardless of whether it is a preseason game or a regular season game, you can’t stand losing. Especially in that fashion,” Payton said.

That’s the right attitude to instill in the players. Sure, Payton’s preseason rules might have seemed a little harsh, but they were in place for a reason. This isn’t time to mess around, it’s serious business.

And finally, Payton brings credibility and respectability back to the Broncos. Sometimes, perception matters. It’s clear the perception of Denver is much more favorable under Payton than Hackett.

Denver GM George Paton whiffed on the Hackett hire because he was trying to lure Rodgers. Don’t overthink it. Wilson was always the consolation prize.

But if anyone can “fix” Wilson, it’s Payton. And even in his first game action of 2023, Wilson looked much better than he did in 2022. The offensive line play was offensive, but that’ll get fixed too under Payton.

For now, the Broncos have solved their head-coaching issue that has plagued them since Gary Kubiak walked out the door. It’s one of many issues that needs to get fixed, but the upgrade from Hackett to Payton is hard to even put into words.

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