The AFC Championship showdown was marred not just by heavy snow but by a controversial CBS broadcast decision that left fans questioning what they were seeing. With the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots going head-to-head, both teams looked like title contenders. But if you tuned into CBS, you probably noticed an unusual glitch. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

It’s a dramatically snowy night, and CBS hasn’t figured its way around it yet, it seems. They’re showing digital yard lines in the snow, which is causing the players to disappear.

To be fair, this wasn’t entirely predictable. The game began under relatively clean conditions. Early on, the field looked normal on television. The green popped, and the yard markers were visible. Everyone knew the weather was coming, but the shift happened fast. By the time the second half rolled around, the snow and haze had taken over completely.

Once the yard lines and hash marks disappeared beneath the snow, CBS tried to compensate by overlaying digital markers on the field. The solution created a new problem. Those virtual lines made players from both teams appear semi-transparent as they crossed them. It was especially noticeable with the Patriots in white uniforms.

By the fourth quarter, CBS finally pulled the plug on the digital lines. That fixed one issue and created another. Suddenly, fans were left trying to track the ball without any visual help. Even veteran broadcasters Jim Nantz and Tony Romo struggled to follow the play. It was confusing in the booth and no less so at home.

It’s not the first time the weather has severely impacted an NFL game’s broadcast. On December 31, 1988, meteorologists said that the fog was so thick during the playoff game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears that it was like having clouds on the ground. Known as the ‘Fog Bowl’, Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune wrote, “It will be remembered as the best game you never saw.”

As for the clash between the Patriots and the Broncos, it was a frustrating experience for viewers. The broadcast kept pulling attention away from the football. And for Broncos fans, it stung even more. Especially those inside the stadium, sitting through the snow and cold, only to watch their team come up short at the end.

The Broncos came close, but it wasn’t enough

The New England Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2019, surviving a brutal night and edging the Denver Broncos 10–7 in severe conditions. With Bo Nix sidelined, Denver knew from the start this game would have to be won on defense.

And to their credit, the Broncos’ defense showed up. Holding a Drake Maye-led offense to just 10 points is usually a winning formula, but it wasn’t enough on this brutal night.

Stidham was under pressure all game, sacked three times, and finished completing 17 passes, with only one going for more than 12 yards. When Denver needed one last play to flip the game, he floated the ball just a bit too much, and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez stepped in to seal it with an interception.

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That one throw could have swung the game. They also could’ve swung earlier if kicker Wil Lutz hadn’t missed two field goals. Lutz had been automatic from short range all season, perfect on 13 attempts inside 31 yards this year and 92-for-94 from that distance in his career. It was a terrible time for Lutz, who had been automatic from that distance all season, to have his first misses.

From a broader view, this was a defensive battle on both sides. The game was tied 7–7 at halftime, and then the weather took over. Andres Borregales’ field goal in the third quarter ended up being the only scoring play of the second half, and it stood as the difference.

For all the disappointment, the Denver Broncos don’t leave this season empty-handed. Despite the loss, the Broncos can be proud of a season where they secured the No. 1 seed with a 14-3 record, rode an 11-game winning streak, and boasted arguably the league’s most disruptive pass rush. They can be proud. Losing Nix to an ankle injury completely changed the complexion of this game for the Broncos.

But that doesn’t erase what this team accomplished this year. While the ‘what if’ of a healthy Bo Nix will linger, the team’s dominant regular season proves they have the foundation to be a contender for years to come.