Sean Payton didn’t deflect the blame. Less than 24 hours after the Denver Broncos’ 29–28 loss to the Colts, the head coach admitted Monday that the penalty setting up Indy’s game-winning 60-yard field goal was on him.

“That’s on me,” Payton said on a Zoom call with reporters. “My big regret flying home was — that’s more for a closer field goal, not a 60-yard attempt.”

Denver’s misalignment on the field goal block attempt gave Indianapolis 15 yards, turning a desperate long shot into a makeable kick. Payton explained rookie Jonah Tillman and one of the tackles were out of position, noting, “the call was correct, but the execution wasn’t.”

The defeat highlighted Denver’s ongoing problems on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the Broncos surrendered 9.8 yards per first down and allowed points on their opponent’s opening drive for the second straight week. “We busted some fire zone coverages,” Payton said. “It’s concerning.”

Offensively, Denver struck quickly with four touchdowns in its first six drives but faltered late. Red zone mistakes — a delay of game, a facemask penalty, and an interception — cost the Broncos crucial points. “Despite that, in the fourth quarter on the road, we controlled a lot of where we wanted to be — and we didn’t capitalize,” Payton said.

Running back J.K. Dobbins provided a bright spot with consistent gains behind strong offensive line play, while rookie Harvey struggled to find lanes. On defense, All-Pro corner Patrick Surtain II was tested heavily while gutting through an ankle issue.

Still, Payton stressed urgency and resilience. “The first four weeks are a race to clean up and improve,” he said. “You can’t let one loss become two.”

The Broncos return home for a critical division matchup next week, looking to reset before September mistakes become a season-long theme.