OK, fine, Sean Payton. Your plan to turn the Broncos around is finally working

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Gooood morning, Winners! Happy Tuesday. Hope you’ve got an awesome day ahead of you.

The one thing about me, folks, is that I have to give credit where it’s due.

I spent weeks upon weeks obliterating Sean Payton’s coaching job with the Broncos. Not only did he stink (remember when the Broncos gave up 70 points in one game?), but he also talked an unnecessary amount of trash about one of his colleagues. That stinks. He still seems like a pretty terrible dude.

But good things happen to bad people all the time. And Sean Payton is coaching some pretty good mediocre football right now.  It’s just enough to get by.

That seems mean, but that’s honestly a step up from what we saw to start the year. Denver lost five of its first six games under Payton, which was terrible. But the Broncos have now won three games in a row after beating the Bills on Monday. It was a nasty game, to be sure. Even Peyton Manning was disgusted. But, hey! A win is a win. Especially in the Sean Payton era.

Not only have they won three in a row, but they’ve also exorcised some demons against a couple of Super Bowl contenders they couldn’t shake for years.

The Broncos hadn’t beaten the Chiefs since 2015. Peyton Manning was still the quarterback. Denver also hadn’t won in Buffalo since its season opener in 2007. Y’all remember J.P. Losman? No? Didn’t think so.

The playoffs are certainly in reach for Denver now. The remaining schedule is tough — the next four games are against the Vikings, Browns, Texans, Chargers and Lions. These are not going to be cakewalks. Denver will likely drop a few here.

But, hey, man. The fact that the playoffs are even a conversation for this team right now is a testament to Payton’s coaching job.

Maybe he’ll pass that Nathaniel Hackett bar.

Jim Harbaugh has the opportunity to do the funniest thing ever

Michigan is standing on its business and challenging the Big Ten’s three-game suspension of Jim Harbaugh in court as it said it would.

The school told us that it would be seeking a court order if it felt the Big Ten suspended Harbaugh without a full investigation from the NCAA. So here we are. Michigan is taking its conference to court.

Harbaugh didn’t comment directly on the situation. You know how it goes — pending legal matters, right? But he did pull out a corny “America’s team” line for Michigan, though, per The Athletic. 

“It’s got to be America’s team,” Harbaugh said. “America loves a team that beats the odds, beats the adversity, overcomes what the naysayers and the critics, the so-called experts, think.”

EL. OH. EL. That’s priceless, man. Harbaugh says he’ll have more to say on Friday during Michigan’s hearing. He says he’s not looking for “special treatment” or a “popularity contest.” Just due process.

I was thinking about what Harbaugh would say in defense of himself. Then a thought hit me: Jim Harbaugh has the opportunity to do the funniest thing of all time. Absolutely roast the rest of the coaches in the Big Ten. In court. On the record.

That’s why he’s here, right? I feel like the conference came to this decision mostly because of peer pressure from coaches across the conference — especially Ohio State — that pushed it to make a decision.

Friday is Harbaugh’s chance to throw that all back at them. That probably wouldn’t make for a great defense but it would be hilarious. The content would be tremendous.

So I ask you: What do you think Jim Harbaugh’s best defense here is? Who does he roast the hardest? Drop them in the comments here on this form.

I’ll share my favorite answers in Friday’s newsletter.

Lanning is staying put…for now

Since firing Jimbo Fischer over the weekend, Texas A&M has given the googly eyes to several head coaches at other programs out there. Oregon’s Dan Lanning is near the top of that list. It makes sense that A&M would be interested considering how good Lanning has Oregon in just his second year there.

But Lanning seems to want nothing to do with Texas A&M. He said there’s “zero chance” he’s leaving the Ducks,

“I’m not going anywhere. There’s zero chance that I would be coaching somewhere else. I’ve got unfinished business here,” Lanning said. “We have the resources, the tools, anybody that can’t understand why you would want to be at this place, doesn’t understand exactly what exists here.”

Lanning is a college football coach. You’ve got to take everything he says here with a grain of salt — especially considering that A&M could just throw an otherworldly amount of money at him to change that answer. It’s happened before.

But, for my money? That’s the smart move for Lanning. It’s A&M, man. That’s a tough job. The Aggies don’t play. Jimbo Fischer just got fired with a $76 million payout. You’re essentially hired to be fired there. It’s tough.

Lanning has it good in Oregon. There are no real expectations. If you’re good, great! If you’re not, eh. Whatever. The uniforms look cool.

You’ve got a good thing going, Dan. Keep it going as long as possible.

Quick hits: The Bills gifted the Broncos a win … The 8 hottest seats in college football … and more

— I still can’t believe the Bills had 12 men on the field for the Broncos’ final field goal. Looks like Sean Payton’s slapstick strategy was good for something. Robert Zeglinski has more.

— Tyler Nettuno has eight college football coaches that are on the hot seat right now. This bowl season is going to be rough.

— Here’s Robert and Christian D’Andrea with their Week 11 NFL Power Rankings. Sorry, Giants fans. You’re cooked.

— Caroline Darney has the 10 most heart-warming moments between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift from the Eras Tour’s stop in Argentina.

— Josh Allen’s interceptions are alarming but the Bills probably don’t care. Meghan Hall will tell you why.

— DeMar DeRozan may have just had the best assist ever? Idk. It’s definitely up there. This is wild. Bryan Kalbrosky has more on it.

That’s a wrap, folks. Thanks so much for reading today. I hope you enjoyed TMW. Have a fantastic Tuesday. Let’s chat again tomorrow. Peace.

-Sykes