- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,215,362
- Reaction score
- 59
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton always has had a flair for the dramatic. From bringing in a Brinks truck full of cash and a Lombardi Trophy to motivate players during the playoffs to giving out ice cream to media members at the end of each season, Payton always seems to have an ace up his sleeve.
In a recent ESPN article by Seth Wickersham detailing the Broncos' playoff run in 2026, it was revealed that Payton drew up what seemed like the perfect play against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional game: A fake punt.
"Payton watched 71 fake punts, looking for one to adopt and adapt," Wickersham wrote for ESPN. "One was called Rutgers Special, tweaked from the 2019 Raiders [5:14 mark], which Payton named after Broncos fullback Michael Burton, a Scarlet Knights graduate. In the other, Denver's punter threw an outside pass on Buffalo's Ja'Marcus Ingram. Payton had targeted Ingram after reading that he missed a practice that week due to the birth of his first child. Payton called it Baby Shower and ran it in the second quarter for a first down (of the 2024 playoffs)."
The play was to be inserted at a very specific time. "(W)hen the Broncos are facing fourth down late, up by a few points," the article continued. "Payton knows that if he punts to Allen, the game is over. The Bills won't expect a fake punt under those circumstances."
After the game ended, Wickersham noted all of Denver's plays had been either called or scrapped, seemingly except for Rutgers Special. Payton then dropped a bomb. "'We called it,' he says," recalled Wickersham.
"When," asked Wickersham.
"Fourth-and-11," Payton replied.
Wait -- what? Payton called Rutgers Special -- in overtime?
On fourth-and-11?
"We had the right look."
According to Payton, when the play went in, the Broncos' special teams unit nixed the attempt. "I was so pissed," Payton said, per Wickersham. "It was perfect."
In a separate article, Mike Klis of 9News noted that running back Tyler Badie called off the fake before the snap.
In the end, for the Broncos, the audible back to a punt from their own 38-yard line ended up working out. Rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw uncorked a 55-yard punt which pinned the Bills inside the 10-yard line, field position that eventually led to cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian's miracle interception in overtime. Had the play not worked, Buffalo would have been very close to field goal range, and we likely wouldn't be talking about this play today. To Payton's credit, he called Crawshaw's boot the "punt of the year."
It should come as no surprise that Payton had the cojones to call a fake punt in overtime of a playoff game. This is the same coach who called a surprise onside kick in the second half of a Super Bowl. That killer instinct led the New Orleans Saints to their first title in franchise history.
Who knows? Maybe we could see Rutgers Special (as it was intended) at some point during the 2026 season.
Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Broncos players didn't run Sean Payton's called fake punt vs. Bills
Continue reading...
In a recent ESPN article by Seth Wickersham detailing the Broncos' playoff run in 2026, it was revealed that Payton drew up what seemed like the perfect play against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional game: A fake punt.
"Payton watched 71 fake punts, looking for one to adopt and adapt," Wickersham wrote for ESPN. "One was called Rutgers Special, tweaked from the 2019 Raiders [5:14 mark], which Payton named after Broncos fullback Michael Burton, a Scarlet Knights graduate. In the other, Denver's punter threw an outside pass on Buffalo's Ja'Marcus Ingram. Payton had targeted Ingram after reading that he missed a practice that week due to the birth of his first child. Payton called it Baby Shower and ran it in the second quarter for a first down (of the 2024 playoffs)."
The play was to be inserted at a very specific time. "(W)hen the Broncos are facing fourth down late, up by a few points," the article continued. "Payton knows that if he punts to Allen, the game is over. The Bills won't expect a fake punt under those circumstances."
After the game ended, Wickersham noted all of Denver's plays had been either called or scrapped, seemingly except for Rutgers Special. Payton then dropped a bomb. "'We called it,' he says," recalled Wickersham.
"When," asked Wickersham.
"Fourth-and-11," Payton replied.
Wait -- what? Payton called Rutgers Special -- in overtime?
On fourth-and-11?
"We had the right look."
According to Payton, when the play went in, the Broncos' special teams unit nixed the attempt. "I was so pissed," Payton said, per Wickersham. "It was perfect."
In a separate article, Mike Klis of 9News noted that running back Tyler Badie called off the fake before the snap.
In the end, for the Broncos, the audible back to a punt from their own 38-yard line ended up working out. Rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw uncorked a 55-yard punt which pinned the Bills inside the 10-yard line, field position that eventually led to cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian's miracle interception in overtime. Had the play not worked, Buffalo would have been very close to field goal range, and we likely wouldn't be talking about this play today. To Payton's credit, he called Crawshaw's boot the "punt of the year."
It should come as no surprise that Payton had the cojones to call a fake punt in overtime of a playoff game. This is the same coach who called a surprise onside kick in the second half of a Super Bowl. That killer instinct led the New Orleans Saints to their first title in franchise history.
Who knows? Maybe we could see Rutgers Special (as it was intended) at some point during the 2026 season.
Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Broncos players didn't run Sean Payton's called fake punt vs. Bills
Continue reading...
