Sean Payton makes a strong statement about his relationships with Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator Vance Joseph

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As the Denver Broncos’ 13-point lead against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday was quickly slipping out of their grasp in the fourth quarter, Sean Payton was caught on the CBS Broadcast clearly upset at Vance Joseph.

“Me getting emotional and angry during games is nothing new,” the Broncos’ head coach said on Monday, discussing sideline interactions he has with players and coaches. “Maybe it’s new a little bit here, but, whether it’s Vance or Joe Lombardi, or Zach Strief, the line coach, or whoever. There will be a number of times where that takes place. Then literally two weeks later someone will mention it and I will not even have remembered it. That’s just in-game.”

Payton’s anger came as he had to burn his second timeout of the second half because only 10 defensive players were on the field as Green Bay faced a crucial 3rd-and-2 from the Broncos’ four-yard line down 16-10.

“We got caught with 10 [players on the field],” Payton said on Monday. “Obviously, the [ejection] of Kareem [Jackson] was one thing, but it also impacts kind of a goal line personnel grouping. We’ll get that cleaned up, but all good there.”

It didn’t appear “all good there” after the game, however. Payton’s frustration bled over to his postgame press conference on Sunday night as well.

“Don’t get me started. That needs to be cleaner. It’s the NFL and it shouldn’t happen,” Payton said, when asked about having to use a timeout at that moment of the game. “We get caught burning timeouts twice with substitution changes, and we have to get that corrected.”

On Monday, after the heat of the moment had worn off, the head coach made a strong statement regarding the relationship with his defensive coordinator following a rocky start to the season.

“I’m in a great spot with him,” Payton immediately stated, when asked about his interaction with Joseph on the sideline during Sunday’ game. “You have to understand one thing about me. He won’t be the only one. I was frustrated, and you don’t want to use those timeouts. Sometimes, it’s hard to be pleased or not upset. You want to play your perfect game.”

“That was a good win for us, and yet I’m driving home last night heading to get Sushi,” Payton continued in an interesting fashion. “I don’t like Sushi, and I’m finding myself circling around the parking lot [thinking], ‘Alright, why can’t I be happy?’ Well, you’re searching for that perfect game. I’m just that way. I’m going to wear my emotions on my sleeve, whether it’s defense or offense.”

Although Denver’s defense got off to a historically poor start—giving up 37.5 points per game in the first four weeks of the season—Joseph has turned the unit around the past two weeks. Against the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers, over the last two weeks, the Broncos have given up an average of 18 points per game, including holding the Chiefs’ offense to only 19 in Kansas City.

Payton credits the defensive turnaround to their ability to stopping the run.

“We’re playing the run better,” the head coach said. “I know we played the run better at Kansas City. The second half yesterday, we were in and out of some seven-and-a-half man fronts into eight-man fronts. Overall, in two weeks—two games—we’ve defended the run better than the prior weeks.”

During Denver’s dismal 1-5 start to the season, before pulling off the win on Sunday against the Packers, much of the blame was pointed at Joseph, with many believing he wouldn’t last throughout the entire season.

But if the Broncos’ defense continues to play the way they have over the past two weeks, Payton and Joseph’s relationship will in all likelihood continue to remain in a “great spot,” as the head coach said it stands now.