Sean Payton works hard to establish a winning culture with the Denver Broncos.

After the Broncos’ 28-14 victory over the Carolina Panthers On Sunday, Payton reportedly let his team win during the post-game meeting in the locker room. Payton was very unhappy with the way the Broncos finished this game, especially regarding the turnovers.

This could be an integral part of Payton’s efforts to establish a winning culture in Denver. But what exactly does this mean?

“I think it’s just the belief that you can do it on a week-to-week basis,” Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey said Monday during a conference call.

Winning National Football League teams tend to have common denominators. One of them is a confidence so high that it becomes a belief. And maybe even more than belief.

Yet, if a winning culture is not easy to define, then it becomes extremely difficult to achieve. However, Payton seems to have defined it for his players and coaches.

“That’s what a winning culture is,” McGlinchey said. “It’s when you step on the field that you believe and know that you’re going to win the game, because of the preparation you have, the people you have in the building, the plan. And I think we built that , not only this year, but since last year, to try to make that part of who we are… And I think we’re doing a really good job with that.”

The Broncos turned the ball over twice in Week 8, and Carolina’s 14 points were the result of them. The mood in the Broncos locker room afterward would be more like that of a defeat than a 14-point victory.

McGlinchey and his veteran teammates understand the high expectations and standard Payton is trying to instill in the Broncos. This is a good thing because it means Payton was able to set the goal in a way that’s holistic and that all players can buy into.

“I think that’s part of the winning culture that we’re talking about,” McGlinchey said. “You have to understand that if you don’t play your best, you should never be satisfied. I don’t think we did that yesterday.”

There were missed missions and nuanced gaffes that the average viewer might not have noticed during the Broncos’ Week 8 performance. However, the players and coaches know exactly what they were.

Some of the most obvious ones that were visible to all, besides the turnovers, were the dropped passes on offense. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix passed for 284 yards and three touchdowns, but his numbers could have been much higher if players like Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Troy Franklin and Courtland Sutton had been able to hold up their end of the bargain better.

We could have called it a 42-point blowout. A real zero-burger. But a truly great team wouldn’t have let these opportunities slip through their fingers. This is McGlinchey’s point of view.

The Broncos’ next three opponents — the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City ChiefsAnd Atlanta Falcons – will not be those who waste such opportunities. The Broncos need to do a better job of guarding against such snafus and also be prepared to exploit every chance to sink their teeth into these opponents.

“We have an opportunity here with the success we’ve had over the last five or six weeks, where we’re in a position to play bigger games. We’re going to have to be better than yesterday, and where it will matter a little bit more ” McGlinchey said. “Every turnover will count a little more, or every missed mission will count a little more. We have to take the next step in order to be one of the teams that will play in the playoffs.”

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Coming back to that post-match feeling of dissatisfaction, it’s actually a sign of a maturing team. A lesser team would have celebrated a 14-point victory over an NFL opponent like it was the Super Bowl.

Instead, the Broncos were angry, taking on the emotional complexion of their head coach. That 14-point win wasn’t enough because of the plays and points the Broncos left behind on the grass at Empower Field.

“I think it’s team-wide. If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse,” McGlinchey said. “It’s something that Coach Payton definitely experiences, and it’s something we all should experience.”

None of this should detract from the progress the Broncos have made in recent weeks. Since McGlinchey returned to his role at right tackle after a four-week stint on injured reserve, the Broncos’ offense has operated at a different level.

Nix looked much more comfortable, especially in Week 8, and McGlinchey sees it as a harbinger of what’s to come for the Broncos.

“I think the guys have made huge strides over the last couple of games,” McGlinchey said. “Winning five out of six is ​​a big deal in this league and certainly, you’re starting to see Bo get really, really comfortable out there. He’s starting to be able to produce a lot of really good plays for our offense, (and ) the running backs are doing a great job… And obviously, right off the bat on the offensive line, we’re trying to get better, no matter if we’re a veteran group or not.

Gary Kubiak had his “Iron Sharpens Iron” mantra that the Broncos rallied behind in 2015. One of Payton’s maxims, it seems, is “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.” And McGlinchey, as a veteran leader, is going to do his part to make sure the Broncos don’t regress as the season progresses.

“Like I said, if you don’t get better, you get worse,” he said. “You have to hold yourself to a higher standard to play your best football when it’s necessary. And that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

It’s an exciting time to be a Broncos fan. This team is more than relevant. Most NFL power rankings place the Broncos just outside the top 10.

The Broncos, however, are more concerned about the AFC West standings and conference seeds. Heading into November against three high-quality opponents, the Broncos are the epitome of relevance.

At 5-3, this team has an opportunity to make some noise in the AFC. Since Super Bowl 50, we’ve seen the Broncos flash and make short runs, but they always come back to Earth.

If this year’s results are to be different – if the Broncos are to end their eight-year playoff drought – they can’t wilt in the face of competition against two high-profile AFC rivals in weeks consecutive. . We’ll know soon enough if McGlinchey’s words are the words of a wise but ultimately ineffective veteran or if they’re the mark of a team that has learned how to win again.

“I think a winning culture is about more than just winning football games,” McGlinchey said. “It’s showing up, preparing the right way, taking care of your body the right way, asking the right questions, studying what you need to study on film. It’s just an obsession with doing the right something that will result in winning football matches.”

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