No victory could be declared, however, since Wilson and Payton earned an equal share of the blame for making a potential playoff invite much more difficult. In the process, they brought out the absolute worst in each other.
The pair had seemed simpatico during the Broncos' five-game win streak — a stretch that included triumphs over the Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns. And the reasons the squad went from 1-5 to 6-5 were abundantly clear: During this stretch, play-caller Payton leaned heavily on runners Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin and encouraged Wilson to focus on short passes that moved the chains while eating clock. The strategy minimized mistakes and kept each contest close — and the emergence of the defense's proclivity for ball-hawking and an improved connection between Russ and wide receiver Courtland Sutton repeatedly tipped the scales in Denver's direction.
But rather than sticking with this successful formula against the Texans, Payton let his planet-sized ego take his brain for a ride to a very different destination. On the first play, he called on Wilson to target Sutton with a deep shot — a gamble that didn't pay off. Then, for snap number two, he repeated his mistake by directing Russ to do the exact same thing, with similarly negative results. A failed third-down quarterback scramble later, and it was time for punter Riley Dixon to make the first of four appearances in the first half.
Late in the second quarter, with the Broncos' offense as stagnant as the water in an unused swimming pool on a windless day, Payton seemed to realize the error of his ways, and his blueprint blend of rushes and short passes generated a decent drive capped off by a field goal. But at the outset of the second half, Wilson once again went for big strikes and wound up getting sacked twice instead. Welcome back, Riley Dixon.
Payton's hunger for chunk plays was understandable, given how many the Texans' rookie sensation, C.J. Stroud, managed to produce. He and receiver Nico Collins collaborated on one huge gainer after another; Collins ended the day with nine receptions for a brain-busting 191 yards. Meanwhile, the Broncos' D didn't force a single turnover and made some uncharacteristically stupid plays. Exhibit A: a moronic unnecessary-roughness penalty by linebacker Alex Singleton that led directly to a Houston touchdown.
Granted, Wilson helped bring the Broncos back from a 16-3 deficit by way of two touchdown drives after intermission. But the aggressiveness necessitated by this scenario also generated three interceptions of the sort that brought back gruesome memories of his disastrous 2022 season, including a forced throw into the end zone in the waning seconds that wound up in the mitts of Houston's Jimmie Ward and guaranteed Denver's doom.
Was Payton's boredom with dinking and dunking the reason for the defeat? Or did Wilson seal the Broncos' fate by bidding for individual heroics instead of opting for the check-down approach that had worked so well over the past month-plus? Folks on the Service Formerly Known as Twitter had a lot of feels about these questions. Count down our picks for the twenty most memorable takes below:
Number 20:
Russell Wilson SUCKS!
— M AR (@mar80525) December 3, 2023
Number 19:
You have to be trolling. Russ threw 3 ints today at times it mattered the most. He played mediocre. Far from Payton’s fault.
— Officer Square Head (@CrptMtchsDrps) December 3, 2023
Number 18:
Wilson is so . I don't care what his TD/int ratio is. Dude sucks. Missed wide open WRs. Under throws wide open WRs. Denver once again strikes out on a QB they severely over paid for
— James Fullmer (@SparkyJ1992) December 3, 2023
Number 17:
Russell Wilson had 3 interceptions! He suck!
— M AR (@mar80525) December 3, 2023
Number 16:
Russell Wilson still sucks
— . (@ModinhaDeKC) December 3, 2023
Number 15:
Fanboys will say this isn’t Russell Wilson’s fault of course. His three interceptions in clutch moments were not Russell Wilson’s fault. Well according to fanboys anyway. Real ones know better. Defense didn’t cost the Broncos. Wilson did. He is washed.
— MileHigh420 (@morelands698) December 3, 2023
Number 14:
Every one gonna put blame on Russell Wilson which he should get, today was his worst game all season, but Sean Payton burning a time out right out the two minute warning was costly. Could of used that time out on the last play when there was confusion
— Juke’em Jamie (@TheRealSageBell) December 3, 2023
Number 13:
It’s a no blame to go around period. Sean Payton did not have to call a timeout after the two minute warning. There is no reason for that and then we wasted 30 seconds on one play. The OL needed to protect Wilson better. This was a winnable game.
— Mel (@MsKarmabrown) December 3, 2023
Number 12:
Mannnnnnnnnn its sean payton fault
— ℣ Cinco (@XxDantrealxX) December 3, 2023
Number 11:
Denver put firmly back in their place. Fuck Sean Payton.
— Bri (@IrishBrian30) December 3, 2023
Number 10:
FUCK YOU RUSSELL FUCK YOU SEAN PAYTON FUCK YOU DENVER AND FUCK EVERY SINGLE REFEREE. y’all deserved a much worse loss. refs couldn’t save you like the jaguars.
— colin ⚕ ♖ (@colin_hatten) December 3, 2023
Number 9:
Russ with the 3 worst throws possible on that red zone possession.
— Aaron (@AaronTheEra) December 3, 2023
Sean Payton dumb as fuck too for not trying one rush.
Number 8:
Blaming Sean Payton for Russell Wilson throwing 3 INTs and missing Jeudy open? And what’s the other game lol? https://t.co/j1fSDsEo1P
— Michael 🇲🇽 (@RespectMyCos) December 3, 2023
Number 7:
Sean Payton the second he’s allowed to cut Russell Wilson pic.twitter.com/QmA0UFn1Xg
— Michael 🇲🇽 (@RespectMyCos) December 3, 2023
Number 6:
TERRIBLE play on 3rd and goal by the broncos. Terrible play call by Sean Payton, terrible job communicating by Russell Wilson, receivers had no idea what was going on; Russ terrible throw right into traffic. Awful all around
— Ethan (@ethanlculver) December 3, 2023
Number 5:
Russell Wilson is the Achilles Heel for Sean Payton
— Sports Buckaroo (@SportsBuckaroo) December 3, 2023
so terrible
Number 4:
STUPID ASS SEAN PAYTON LOST LETS FUCKING GOOOO
— SawyerTheViking IN JOSH DOBBS WE TRUST (@SawyerTheViking) December 3, 2023
RUSSELL WILSON IS ASS
3 INTS LMFAOOO
Number 3:
Russell Wilson is getting on Sean Payton's nerves #broncoscountry
— I Green (@IsaacGr26475362) December 3, 2023
Number 2:
Blame the Oline, or even court with the two costly non catxhss in the first Q. Or blame singleton, or blame the WRs or defense for not doing better the FIRST half. 2nd half they kept us in the game, but their is a lot to point fingers and play the blame game, in the end we LOST.
— Denver Broncos (@MileHighAvenu_E) December 3, 2023
Number 1:
Broncos game was good. If it wasn’t for that trash 1st qtr. good shit!
— Tarbender (@chavo505) December 3, 2023
