NFL 1 min read

AFC title game defeat leaves Broncos’ Sean Payton doubting his decisions

Source: The Washington Post

Updated 1 hr ago

Denver Broncos Coach Sean Payton suffered another painful playoff exit in Sunday's AFC championship game. (John Locher/Associated Press)

The veteran coach went for it on fourth and one in the second quarter rather than kicking a field goal, and his team wound up losing by three in the AFC title game.

By Roman Stubbs

DENVER — Before a blizzard engulfed Empower Field and rendered his offense ineffective, Denver Broncos Coach Sean Payton saw a chance to put a stranglehold on the New England Patriots early in the second quarter of Sunday’s AFC championship game. He ordered his offense to remain on the field for a fourth-and-inches call from the New England 14-yard line even though simply kicking a field goal on a dry field would mean taking a two-score lead, a margin that might have felt insurmountable given the forecast of second-half snow and the way Denver’s defense was dominating.

But Payton was hungry for a touchdown and a 14-point lead. “The feeling was, man, let’s be aggressive,” Payton said, so he went all in. The original play call was a nickel run. But Denver took a timeout and switched the call to counter New England’s heavy six-one front: a naked bootleg that would have quarterback Jarrett Stidham throw in the flat to running back RJ Harvey.