Cheers…

…. to Sean Payton for staying true to his gambling self. The coach who once called an onside kick in a Super Bowl is still game for taking a risk. His decision to go for two — with 7:36 left in regulation, when a chip-shot extra point would have tied the score — shoved all the pressure onto the Eagles’ sideline. Bo Nix then found Troy Franklin for the two-point conversion on a perfectly executed conversion. “We’ve been running that play for a few weeks,” Nix told the CBS crew. Ties are for job interviews. Payton’s Broncos went to Philly to win. 

Boo…

…. the fact Broncos Country can’t celebrate his birthday with Courtland Sutton, who turns 30 Friday when the team is in London. It took seven seasons, but the Broncos finally paired Mr. Reliable with a real-deal quarterback. Sutton’s connection with Bo Nix was apparent all Sunday with the pair hooking up for eight catches and 99 yards, none bigger than a 34-yard reception on the game-winning drive. Sutton has been nothing short of a Pro Bowl wide receiver this season, with 298 yards over the past three games. He looks Ring of Fame-y.

Cheers…

…. to Javonte Williams, a good dude who couldn’t get healthy as the primary running back in Denver. “Pookie” has found new life with the Dallas Cowboys, scoring his fifth rushing touchdown in Week 5 — one more than his season high with the Broncos. Williams entered a win against the New York Jets ranking fifth in the NFL in yards after contact among qualifying running backs. Breaking tackles was his calling card when the Broncos used a second-round pick on Williams in 2021. Likewise, Denver’s running game has found its new identity with 130 yards Sunday.

Boo…

…. to the CBS broadcast crew’s late realization that Sunday’s game was a matchup of wits between Broncos coach Sean Payton and Eagles coordinator Vic Fangio. (Yes, it was a minor transgression in a fantastic broadcast from the network’s No. 1 crew.) It wasn’t until 2:34 remained that Tony Romo pointed out Payton and Fangio were in a dance fit for a playoff game. Payton tried to hire Fangio as the coordinator in Denver, so the matchup carried some extra weight. “This is a Sean Payton vs. Vic Fangio moment,” Romo said. One to remember.

—Paul Klee, The Denver Gazette