The Denver Broncos secured an important win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but Jaylen Waddle’s late-game injury overshadowed the team's performance. Meanwhile, Broncos head coach Sean Payton accepted responsibility for a questionable play call that resulted in the wide receiver getting hurt.

Payton did not wait for reporters to ask him about the play. Instead, toward the end of his postgame press conference, the Broncos coach addressed his decision himself.

“Why didn’t anybody ask me about the dumb reverse call?” Payton said. “It was awful. I’m sorry.”

Payton also reflected on a similar mistake he made during his tenure as head coach of the New Orleans Saints, recalling an incident from 2008.

“If you look it up in 2008, in a similar situation, even a more radical reverse. Fumbled, Tampa Bay beat us,” Payton added. “I know better. And every once in a while, you fall in love with a play.”

The incident occurred with fewer than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, when the Broncos were leading by 14 points. Instead of sticking with a conventional offensive approach, Payton called for a reverse designed to get the ball into Waddle's hands.

However, the play quickly went wrong, and the receiver ended up on the ground after attempting to recover a loose ball. Waddle subsequently left the game with a chest injury and did not return.

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Waddle's injury was an unwelcome development for Denver, particularly because the receiver had already dealt with chest discomfort during the week leading up to the Cardinals game. He was limited with a chest injury at two practices last week.

Waddle's time in Denver has also been challenging in terms of on-field production. Before exiting the game, he recorded four receptions for 48 yards against the Cardinals. Through seven games this season, he has registered 26 catches for 276 yards and one touchdown.

The Broncos will now turn their attention to their Week 8 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Given the circumstances surrounding his exit, Waddle could feature on Denver's upcoming injury report.