A Critical Decision and Its Consequences

Sean Payton, the head coach of the Denver Broncos, admitted that he will have second thoughts about his decision to forgo an easy field goal during a crucial moment in the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots. The choice to pass up the kick instead of going for a fourth-and-1 play had far-reaching implications, ultimately playing a key role in the Broncos’ 10-7 loss.

The situation arose in the first half when Denver led 10-0 and faced a fourth-and-1 at the New England 14-yard line. Despite the favorable weather conditions, Payton opted not to take the field goal. This decision placed the team in a difficult position, especially as the game progressed into halftime, where snow and wind began to impact the field conditions.

“There’s always regrets,” Payton said. “I felt like here we are, fourth-and-1, close enough — it’s also a call you make based on the team you’re playing and what you’re watching on the other side of the ball. Yeah, there will always be second thoughts.”

The Impact of the Decision

This critical move set the Broncos on a challenging path that tested even the most seasoned quarterbacks. Jarrett Stidham, who was stepping in for the injured Bo Nix, found himself under immense pressure. From pregame analysts like Bill Cowher to broadcast commentators such as Tony Romo, many emphasized the importance of taking every point available given Stidham’s limited experience.

However, Payton did not heed this advice. The Broncos’ kicker, Wil Lutz, missed two field goals on the day, one of which was blocked. Additionally, a turnover by Stidham deep in New England territory set up the Patriots’ touchdown. Had Denver capitalized on their opportunities, they might have avoided these costly mistakes.

“There will be a number of things when we watch the tape I will look at and critique and pay close attention to,” Payton said. “It was a hard-fought game, and we didn’t do enough to win.”

A Difficult Play and Unfavorable Conditions

Early in the second quarter, with the skies still clear, the Broncos led 7-0 and faced a fourth-and-1 at the New England 14-yard line. After a timeout, the offense returned to the field, but Stidham’s pass to RJ Harvey fell incomplete. “Just didn’t work out on that one play,” Stidham said, acknowledging the challenges of the game.

As the game progressed, the weather deteriorated, and the Broncos were forced to attempt a 45-yard field goal into a tricky wind on a snow-covered field. Leonard Taylor III got a hand on the kick, adding to the difficulty of the situation.

“Unfortunately, you couldn’t see the lines on the field and honestly I think we might have been a yard short on the snap,” Lutz said. “But you can’t see the lines on the field and we had to kind of estimate.”

A History of Close Calls

The Broncos were right there, too. Only three teams have won a game to advance to the Super Bowl while scoring 10 points or fewer, and the Broncos were on the wrong end in two of those instances. They also lost 10-7 to the Buffalo Bills in the 1991 AFC title game, with backup quarterback Gary Kubiak replacing the injured John Elway.

This time, Stidham started in place of Nix, who broke his ankle in a 33-30 overtime win against Buffalo last week. Stidham began in stellar fashion, completing a 52-yard pass to Marvin Mims Jr. that set up a short TD pass to Courtland Sutton. However, the momentum shifted when New England made a fourth-down stop.

A Turnover and a Changed Call

Late in the second quarter, the Patriots took advantage of Stidham’s first turnover. Under pressure from Christian Elliss, he tried to toss the ball away but it was ruled a backward pass, which was recovered by Elijah Ponder. Two plays later, Drake Maye scored a touchdown.

“Obviously, I can’t put our team in a bad position like that,” Stidham said. “That was completely on me.” The play was initially ruled an incomplete pass and intentional grounding, but officials changed the call. Stidham did not realize he’d thrown a lateral.

“No, I thought I’d thrown it forward,” he said. Explained referee Alex Kemp in a pool report: “I initially ruled it as a forward pass, which was incorrect. I proceeded to go through the administration of an intentional grounding foul. The down judge and the umpire came and talked to me and provided more information. The down judge explained that he extended his right arm to signal that he had a backward pass and at that point we determined that New England had picked up the then backward pass.”

Stidham conceded that he “should’ve just eaten the sack anyway,” adding, “I can’t do that.”

Battling the Elements

With the snow picking up and the wind at their back, the Patriots went on a 16-play drive to start the third quarter that ended with Andy Borregales’ go-ahead, 23-yard field goal. That was the final score by either team in the deteriorating conditions.

“I was dealing with it. Drake was dealing with it,” Stidham said of the snow and wind. “You can’t really make an excuse of it.”