Sean Payton started to check through the list of all the ingredients he thinks are needed to have a championship-contending team in the NFL.

“It has to start with quarterback,” the Broncos head coach said when asked to outline why he’s taken such a bullish stance on this team. “It has to start with defense. It has to start with the offensive line. There are certain things that if they’re not on point, it’s hard to make a statement like that. When you look at some of these critical factors, I told (the team) that, all of that just means you have a chance.”

He had one more factor in mind, too.

“I would say, most importantly, ownership,” Payton said.

That big of a role? How can that be?

“Because there are 20 (franchises) that each year have hopes and dreams and they’re dysfunctional at

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