It felt like the moment got a little too heavy for the Denver Broncos and quarterback Jarrett Stidham when it mattered most. With the AFC title game on the line, they slipped, and the New England Patriots dragged the game into the snow and walked out on top. And afterward, Sean Payton did not dodge the truth, pointing straight at one costly mistake that shifted everything.

“That was a big play,” Payton said while addressing Stidham’s fumble, making it clear where the game turned.

Still, the message was not all fire, as right after, Payton added, “I thought he fought hard. Tough conditions.”

The damage started with Stidham’s first major error of the afternoon. Under heavy heat from Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss, he tried to dump the ball away. Instead, the throw drifted backward. Suddenly, Elijah Ponder scooped it up and took off. Although he crossed the goal line, a whistle stopped the return before the score could count. Still, the damage was already done.

Initially, officials flagged the play as intentional grounding. However, after a quick huddle and a replay review, everything flipped. The ball was not a forward pass. As a result, the call changed, and the Patriots kept the ball deep in Broncos territory, swinging momentum fast.

From there, the Pats did not hesitate. Taking over at the Broncos’ 12-yard line, they moved with purpose. After a short grab by Kayshon Boutte, Drake Maye finished it himself with a six-yard run. Just like that, the score sat at 7-7 with 2:10 left before halftime.

In a game this tight, that single sequence changed the game.

Soon after, Wil Lutz pushed a 54-yard try wide with 20 seconds left before halftime. Then, New England lined up Andres Borregales for a daring 63-yard attempt, but that kick also drifted wide. Later, as snowflakes turned into a full flurry, Borregales finally broke through with a short 23-yard field goal, nudging the Patriots ahead.

Then, everything unraveled fast. With visibility dropping and white jerseys blending into the storm, Borregales missed again from 46 yards. Yet Denver could not cash in. With under five minutes left, Lutz saw a 45-yard equalizer tipped away. Then, with 2:11 remaining, Stidham forced a deep throw that got picked off. Just like that, Denver’s last real shot vanished. However, Payton also took the blame for this tight loss.

Sean Payton feels responsible for the Broncos’ loss

After the final whistle, Sean Payton did not hide behind excuses. Instead, he stood in front of the cameras and owned it for Bronco Country.

“They played hard. Wasn’t good enough today. Wasn’t good enough by us. Myself,” Payton said.

So let’s explore the calls that shaped the afternoon. First up was the early decision to bypass a short field goal in the second quarter. Payton chose aggression, going for it on fourth-and-1 in the red zone. While that approach fits the modern NFL, it raised eyebrows immediately given the setting and the stakes.

At that moment, the Broncos already led 7-0. A two-score cushion felt huge in a game everyone expected to stay tight. Once the snow rolled in, those extra three points would have mattered even more. Stidham’s pass nearly got picked, and although the Patriots did not score on the following drive, the chance slipped away.

In the post-game, Payton admitted it plainly, telling reporters, “We didn’t come away with enough,” especially considering the momentum Denver had.

“I am going to look at the film and be critical of myself. We just didn’t do enough in first half with the momentum and field position we had.”

Then came the third-quarter challenge that quietly tilted the balance. In a game ruled by inches and field position, Payton challenged a Patriots first-down call deep in the red zone. The Broncos felt confident, but the replay angle never offered clarity. The call stood, and the Patriots cashed in with a field goal that ended up deciding everything.

Because of that failed challenge, Denver burned a precious timeout. Late in the fourth, that missing timeout mattered. The Patriots drained the clock, sealed the win, and left Bronco Country staring at what could have been.