Sean Payton Mocks Empty Falcons Seats as Broncos Roll to 27-7 Preseason Win

Q: What hidden vulnerabilities did the Broncos' second-half special teams blunders expose despite their blowout victory?

Denver’s second-half mistakes exposed that its special-teams operation is still a weak point, even in a comfortable win. The clearest issue was on field-goal mechanics. A skipped long snap from Luke Basso to holder Jeremy Crawshaw wrecked one attempt, and reports from the game noted that this was not an isolated error but part of multiple breakdowns in the kicking operation. In a preseason setting, that matters because Basso is in a roster battle and the Broncos are evaluating whether the protection, snap-hold timing and overall execution are reliable enough for close regular-season games. The other warning sign was ball security. Jaleel McLaughlin’s fumble in the third quarter handed Atlanta a short field and directly led to the Falcons’ only touchdown. That showed how quickly hidden sloppiness on special teams or change-of-possession moments can erase momentum and field-position advantages. Taken together, the blunders suggested that while Denver’s offense and defense looked ahead of Atlanta’s, the Broncos still have vulnerability in the less glamorous details: snap-hold coordination, backup specialist depth, and situational ball security from players fighting for roster spots. In a preseason blowout those errors were survivable; in a tight regular-season game, they could be decisive.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 15

Sean Payton took aim at Atlanta’s sparse crowd after Denver built a 24-0 halftime lead, saying “a lot of people dressed up as empty seats today.”
The jab came during a 27-7 Broncos preseason win at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, where Atlanta’s opener quickly unraveled.
Tua Tagovailoa’s Falcons debut added to the poor start: he completed short throws to Kyle Pitts and fumbled on the game’s second snap.
Atlanta’s turnout may also have reflected context beyond the score — it was only the first preseason game, and the Braves were playing at home at the same time.
For Denver, the lopsided result reinforced expectations six weeks before the season after a 2025 campaign that reportedly fell just short of a deeper playoff run.