It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t a showcase of offensive fireworks, but for the Denver Broncos on Christmas Day, crushing the Chiefs to a 20-13 defeat was a big win. And that’s the only aesthetic Head Coach Sean Payton cares about. For the HC, the beauty is in the final score, not the box score—a philosophy that found a staunch defender in Courtland Sutton after a gritty Christmas Day win.

Courtland Sutton was quick to step in as he backed his head coach without hesitation.

“I’m sure the fantasy people don’t like it. I’m sure there’s people who gamble on all our games. They don’t like it, but our job isn’t to please those people. Our job is to win the game. And so for us to find a way to win the game, that’s all that really matters,” Sutton said, explaining that winning comes first.

However, not everyone loves that mindset. Fans want fireworks. Fantasy players want numbers. Gamblers want chaos.

The debate started when the game sat at 13-13 late, and Bo Nix found RJ Harvey for a touchdown. After that, the defense slammed the door one last time. That was enough. So Payton made his point clear: “It doesn’t have to be aesthetically pleasing to be effective. I’ve said that before, and so that’s all that’s important.”

Then Sutton went even further and leaned fully into Payton’s message.

“He always says that there’s a way to win every single game, and each win isn’t gonna be the same as the last.”

The receiver did not stop there. “So this was the way we needed to win this one, and we were able to walk away with the win, and that’s all that matters.”

Ultimately, the bigger picture matters. Like several Denver wins this season, it was not pretty. Still, it was necessary. The defense stood tall. The offense burned clock. And as Bronco Country heads home, there is one more present under the tree: a win over the Chiefs and control of the AFC.

Sean Payton’s viewpoint on the game

After the game, Sean Payton showed respect for Kansas City. Standing after a win in the City of Fountains, Payton made it clear he saw the fight from the Chiefs. Winning at Arrowhead Stadium is never easy. So, praising the opponent after beating them says plenty about the moment and the mindset.

“Man, hard-fought win. I thought Kansas City did a good job,” he said. The message did not stop there. “It’s great to get that win. And you always have to remember this, man, you’re playing the heart of a champion.”

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However, the real takeaway came later. Payton once again leaned on his favorite truth. He does not care about pretty football. He never has. The highlight of the presser was his choice of style.

And that stance is nothing new. Back in October, the Broncos scraped past the Jets in a rough Week 6 game. After that one, Payton said it straight. “It doesn’t have to be aesthetically pleasing.”

Still, Payton knows the flaws. He never hides from them. “We had a number of errors,” he added. “There will be a lot of us that want to clean some stuff up.”

Back in Week 6, the scoreboard read 13-11 in favor of the Broncos. And for Payton, that is the only thing that matters, because the win comes first.