In the Broncos’ loss to the Jets, Head Coach Sean Payton’s accusations against former coach Nathaniel Hackett catch up with him.

The Denver Broncos lost 21-31 to the New York Jets in week five, their fourth game under new head coach Sean Payton.

While the 59-year-old often blamed his players – especially star quarterback Russell Wilson – in the previous weeks, the coach was unusually meek and self-critical after the new setback.

“We have to do our job better. It starts with me,” Payton put his finger in the wound: “The part that frustrates me about myself is that we’ve become one-dimensional – and I actually know better. So I have to be more patient with how we run the ball.”

Guilty words, unheard of from Payton, who is usually brimming with self-confidence. It is also becoming increasingly clear that the coach’s pre-season announcements and big promises of rapid improvement for the Broncos, who have been in crisis for years, were just smoke and mirrors.

Payton takes flak for massive criticism of predecessor Hackett

In the offseason, the longtime leader of the New Orleans Saints was still talking big.

His predecessor as Denver head coach, Nathaniel Hackett, would have made one of the worst coaching performances in NFL history and would have been solely responsible for the extremely disappointing first season of the previously dearly acquired hopeful Wilson.

A general reckoning that would have broken a code among coaches, according to Hackett, and caused quite a stir.

“I thought it was completely out of line, inappropriate, and I don’t think he should be putting my coach’s name in his mouth,” Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers defended his “favourite NFL coach” in the offseason.

Hackett, in his new role as the Jets’ offensive coordinator, faced Payton directly on the field for the first time since the incident and delivered his team’s athletic response to his successor’s inappropriate taunting. According to Hackett, there had been radio silence between the two coaches and no apology.

Accordingly, the reporters present after the game did not miss the opportunity to confront Payton again with his vehement accusations. According to “Pro Football Network”, Payton refused to answer any questions and only congratulated Jets Head Coach Robert Saleh. “They played better than we did. I give credit to Robert and this team. They won the game,” Denver’s coach stressed.

Revenge game vs Broncos: Jets stars were extra motivated for Hackett

The importance of the clash at his old stomping ground had been downplayed by Hackett ahead of the game. “This game is about the guys on the field, not me. It’s about me helping them during the week,” the 43-year-old elaborated:

“I just want the guys to go out there and play a good game. That’s all we’re after. And what happened is in the past.”

While the Jets OC downplayed the Broncos’ direct confrontation of the past and present, numerous “Gang Green” players broke a lance for their coach prior to the game.

“He’s definitely a guy you want to play hard for. Then when you come to a place where a guy who is so nice and does his job so well has been thrown under the bus and dragged through the mud, of course you want to fight harder,” centre Connor McGovern said.

New York was eager to give Hackett a chance at sporting “revenge” and took special measures to do so.

As NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported, the Jets had chosen their fourth captain as usual after practice on Friday. This time, however, there was an unusual choice, because no player but Hackett was given that honour.

When Coach Saleh called him out, the players “went nuts. “

Hackett named team captain and receives match ball after win

After the game ended, the Jets players and coaches then flocked to Hackett for hugs, who Rapaport said was also presented with the game ball as a memento of the special game.

But he said you could tell a little bit about the special tension in the run-up to the game.

“It was something that was personal to him – even though he didn’t say, ‘Yeah, this is personal to me,’ you could just tell by the way he acted the week of the game,” star cornerback Sauce Gardner said after the win:

“He had this look on his face like he really wanted this game. It meant a lot that we were able to get this win for him, too. “

Jets take on Payton on social media

The Jets then couldn’t resist a little side kick after the win.

On X (formerly Twitter), the franchise’s social media team posted a meme of actor Kevin James from the movie “Home Team”.

In it, he is wearing a cap that has been emblazoned with a Broncos logo. A picture of Broncos players was built in the background and the post was garnished with the caption, “When you lose to the offseason champs. “

when you lose to the “offseason champs” pic.twitter.com/FzNIqGWZks

– New York Jets (@nyjets) October 8, 2023

In said film, the story is told of Payton, who coached his 12-year-old son’s football team during his one-year suspension in the 2012 season for his role in the “Bounty Gate” scandal.

The meme was in response to Payton calling the Jets “offseason champs” amid his tirade against Hackett early in the preseason.

A series of boastful statements that are now blowing up in Payton’s face, who was signed as a Broncos hopeful.