Sean Payton’s Homecoming: Broncos Deliver a 33-10 ‘Welcome Back’ Smackdown to the Saints—Guess Who’s Still Freezing in the ‘Bayou’?!

In a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood drama – or maybe just a really bad reality show – the Caesars Superdome erupted at halftime Thursday as Drew Brees, the man, the myth, the miracle-worker, was inducted into the Saints’ Hall of Fame. Fans cheered like they’d just won the lottery, completely ignoring the fact that their team has now officially entered a relationship with five consecutive losses. We’re pretty sure the team was trying to cheer them up and distract from the bleak on-field reality. After all, nothing says “we’re doing fine” like a Hall of Fame ceremony, right?

Meanwhile, Sean Payton, ex-Hall-of-Fame coach and current “hey, remember me?” figure, waltzed back into New Orleans to remind everyone of the good old days when the cheers weren’t just for nostalgia’s sake. He quickly upstaged the festivities, leading the Denver Broncos to a not-so-shocking 33-10 victory over the Saints – a game that apparently doubled as a highlight reel for the Broncos’ running game rather than a competitive outing.

The Broncos, now riding high at a record of 4-3 like they’re on top of the world, made it look easier than spelling “Saints.” Quarterback Bo Nix threw for a solid 164 yards and decided to moonlight as a track star, running for a season-high 75 yards. The real stars of the night, however, were running backs, as Denver gouged the Saints for 227 rushing yards, and Javonte Williams pranced into the end zone twice.

On the opposing side of the field, the Saints were like a deer in headlights, led by rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler, who might as well have been directing traffic with the amount of pressure he was under. With only 172 yards to show for his valiant efforts, Rattler was sacked six times – a number that positively dwarfs his touchdown count, which was tragically only one… and it happened during a desperate final drive that was mostly a cry for help. The pièce de résistance of this epic saga was when Rattler was sacked again in the fourth quarter, leading to a glorious 52-yard touchdown return by the Broncos and sealing the fate of the Saints like an unwanted Netflix subscription nobody wants to cancel.