The Denver Broncos looked to make the Super Bowl for the first time in nearly a decade on Sunday, but one decision proved to be costly as they lost 10-7 to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship game.
While up 7-0 lead early in the second quarter, the AFC West champions managed to get inside the red zone, but stalled at the 14. Facing a 4th-and-1, Sean Payton opted to go for it rather than extend the lead with a field goal.
The decision failed badly, as Jarrett Stidham was pressured into throwing an incompletion. The Patriots tied the game later that quarter with a Drake Maye rushing touchdown, then took the lead in the third with a field goal. The 10-7 score would hold for the rest of the game, with New England icing the game when Stidham threw an interception to Christian Gonzalez with 2:18 left.
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When the failed fourth-down conversion came up during Payton’s postgame news conference, he defended it (Timestamp: 1:28):
“I just felt like we had momentum. To get up 14, it felt like we had a good call. I was just watching how our defense was playing. … 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. There will always be second thoughts.”Right tackle Mike McGlinchey was also asked about the incompletion in the locker room, to which he replied:
“Coach makes the calls. I operate what is called.”
Mike McGlinchey on going for it on 4th down: “Coach makes the calls. I operate what is called” Added Sean Payton’s done a great job all year.
Tony Dungy rips Broncos for failed fourth-down conversion vs Patriots in AFCCG
The Broncos’ turnover drew much criticism from many, including a former Super Bowl-winning coach, in the immediate aftermath.
After Jarrett Stidham threw the decisive interception, Tony Dungy had some harsh words for the team on social media :
“As I said earlier…with these two defenses and the weather forecast…will the Broncos regret not having those 3 points at the end of the game? Yes. Points were going to be hard to get today.”The Patriots will now await the NFC championship game winner for Super Bowl LX two weeks from now. That game kicks off at 6:30 pm ET on NBC.
