Sean Payton says Broncos trying to 'finish,' not run up score - ESPN

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton defended his team's efforts and his own playcalling Monday and denied he was trying to run up the score in Sunday's 28-14 victory against the Carolina Panthers.

The Broncos were ahead 28-7 in the fourth quarter when they attempted a fake field goal — on what would have been a 60-yard attempt by Wil Lutz. Later in the quarter, Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton completed a fourth-down pass to fullback Michael Burton to keep a drive going.

Carolina cornerback Jaycee Horn approached Payton on the field after the game for a brief, heated exchange, and he could be seen on video telling Payton that the Broncos were trying to «run up the score.»

Panthers coach Dave Canales said the fake field goal attempt «was their decision to make» as the Broncos tried to «clock out the game.»

Other Panthers players publicly expressed similar frustration with the play calls as well.

«I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know,» Payton said Monday as he was being asked about the Panthers' reactions. «Listen, I said it [Sunday] night, we're trying to finish the game the right way. We're not trying to run up the score on anyone. It's the National Football League. I've been in games with a 28-point lead in the fourth quarter and lost, so we're trying to finish.… Play better.»

With just over 10 minutes remaining in the game, punter Riley Dixon, who is the team's holder on extra point and field goal attempts, threw a pass on a fake 60-yard field-goal attempt to tight end Lucas Krull for a 3-yard gain on fourth-and-8.

Lutz' career long field goal was a 60-yarder in 2022.

With 4:29 remaining, on a fourth-and-2 at the Panthers' 43-yard line, Sutton threw a pass to Burton that ended up being a