Sean Payton Relishes Broncos Underdog Test with Bo Nix’s Backup, Says Bayless

Sean Payton will prepare Jarrett Stidham to take on the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

Sean Payton Relishes Broncos Underdog Test with Bo Nix’s Backup, Says Bayless

Jarrett Stidham, Bo Nix, and Sean Payton (Image via BR Gridiron/Adam Schefter/X)

Sean Payton had a bittersweet moment after guiding the Denver Broncos to a Divisional Round win, as he knew he would have to go the rest of the way without starting quarterback Bo Nix.

The latter can only look forward to playing in the 2026 season after his broken ankle recovers enough. That means the Broncos have to rely on their backup, Jarrett Stidham, to make something out of their AFC Championship game.

In that game, he would face a stout New England Patriots defense that probably cost Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud millions from his next contract. As daunting a task as this might seem, longtime analyst Skip Bayless believes the outcome could be different.

The pressure is extreme. Do I love Sean Payton in this situation? I do… I think Sean is just rubbing his hands together. I think he would get more satisfaction out of winning with Jarrett Stidham than even with Bo, because it’s what Sean loves to do.

Skip Bayless said on The Arena

Labeling it as the ‘ultimate challenge,’ Bayless believes Sean Payton will be out to prove that he is the best coach in the NFL once he beats the 40% chance of winning the game that ESPN’s analytics are giving them.

Considering how bizarre his takes sometimes get, the 74-year-old went on to say that, considering how average Bo Nix has been all season, he might not be surprised if Payton manages to get Stidham to play well enough to win.

Aqib Talib believes Sean Payton’s defense will win the game

Even though Skip Bayless believes, it will be Sean Payton‘s creativity on offense that will win them the game, Denver Broncos royalty, Aqib Talib, believes it will be another unit that will impact the game.

The Broncos' defense will be key
The Broncos’ defense will be key (Image via NFL on CBS/X)

I feel confidence in our defense. That’s how you win chips. Stiddy going to do what Stiddy going to do… I think our defense is going to come out and take over this game.

Aqib Talib said

The Super Bowl 50 champion acknowledged that once some of their injured offensive starters return, the run game will be back to help Sean Payton and Jarrett Stidham.

However, he, like most former defensive players, believes it will be their top-tier defense that will force some turnovers out of the otherwise efficient New England Patriots. That will tilt the game in their favor.

As long as the defense lives up to Talib’s expectations and Stidham does whatever Sean Payton asks him to do, the Broncos will start booking their tickets for San Francisco, where they will look to hoist Super Bowl LX.

Former NFL exec believes Sean Payton will be the X factor

The cast of The Arena was not the only one that believed Sean Payton would be the X factor in this AFC Championship battle set to take place this Sunday.

I think that Jarrett Stidham can wind up having one of those performances that he is not the reason why they lose the football game. … And look, Sean Payton is one of the greatest play callers of our time, … and he will do that in this football game.

Louis Riddick said on Get Up

As a former executive, Louis Riddick has seen enough instances where the Super Bowl-winning coach has ended up surprising his opponents. He believes this game will be another example.

He ruled out the possibility of Jarrett Stidham having a Nick Foles moment, but reiterated that he will not be the reason they lose. That means Riddick believes the Broncos’ head coach will do whatever is necessary to ensure the offense runs error-free.

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