As a playcaller, Sean Payton understands there are moments when you have to throw out the analytics, trust your gut and have a “don’t care” attitude.
Down by 10 to the Ravens, and desperate for points on fourth-and-goal in the first half, the Broncos encountered one of those moments. Rather than settle for a field goal, Denver’s head coach took a gamble.
Following Bo Nix’s hand-off to running back Javonte Williams, the Broncos quarterback took off for the goal line. Simultaneously, Williams tossed the ball to Courtland Sutton, who delivered a spiral under heavy pressure to Nix for a leaping 2-yard touchdown catch.