In late July, Sean Payton spoke the mantra that his Broncos locker room has carried throughout the preseason: You can’t be afraid of talking about the end game .

Nobody has since. Running back J.K. Dobbins, upon his arrival in Denver, said his goal was to bring a Super Bowl to the city. Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto has said his only focus is on a championship — not ongoing extension talks. Quarterback Bo Nix said it in Santa Clara under the shadow of February’s Lombardi Trophy site: If they weren’t trying for a Super Bowl, why were any of them there?

Belief has evidently bled up the flagpole. George Paton is not usually a man for such proclamations. But the 55-year-old Broncos general manager was about as bullish as Paton gets in discussing faith in his franchise Thursday.

“We feel

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