With Jarrett Stidham making his first start since 2023, the Broncos Country didn’t expect much. However, the backup quarterback’s 52-yarder in the first quarter added some heat to the cinematically snow-ridden AFC Championship game. Unfortunately, that was about it for the 29-year-old. In fact, his one mistake cost the Denver Broncos their chance at the Super Bowl, and head coach Sean Payton isn’t shying away from pointing it out. 

“That was a big play,” Payton said while addressing Stidham’s fumble against the New England Patriots, making it clear where the game turned. However, he further added, “I thought he fought hard. Tough conditions.”

Tough conditions indeed. But the damage started with Stidham’s first major error of the afternoon just before halftime.

On a 3rd & 4 play with 2:59 remaining in the second quarter, Stidham dropped back to find an open Broncos player. However, under heavy heat from Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss, he tried to dump the ball away. Instead, the throw drifted backward.

New England’s 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, and for Denver, that was a better call than anything. However, after a quick huddle and a replay review, everything flipped. The ball was first thought to be a forward pass, but because Stidham was already running into the Broncos’ territory, it was ruled a backward pass. The call changed to a sack and a fumble with a loss of 19 yards on Stidham and a lost possession.

The Patriots kept the ball deep in Broncos territory, swinging momentum fast. Following the rules, the Patriots started their drive right where their defense first picked up the ball, at the Broncos’ 12-yard line. From there, the Pats did not hesitate.

Taking over, they moved with purpose. After a short six-yard 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.

Throughout the game, Stidham helped the offense in any way he could. He even made a run for it wherever he saw a window. But 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. Everything unraveled fast after that.

Eventually, with visibility reducing and white jerseys blending into the storm, Borregales missed again from 46 yards. Yet Denver could not cash in.

With under five minutes left in the game, 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. In the end, the difference was just one field goal for three points, but the fumble became the highlight of the loss.

“Obviously, I can’t put our team in a bad situation like that… I can’t put the ball in a position like that… I thought I had thrown it forwards… probably should’ve just eaten the sack,” he said in the post-game presser.

Stidham ended the game throwing for 133 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception, but also that crucial fumble in the first half. He will now enter the last contract year with the Broncos in 2026 as an unrestricted free agent.

While the backup QB, who only got to play in one game the entire season, still stood up and took the blame on his shoulders, Payton also shared that stage.

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 Broncos Country.

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

The sixth-best defense in the league indeed stood up, holding Maye to only ten points. But the offense could not match up. So let’s explore the calls that shaped the afternoon.

The first fault was the early decision to bypass a short field goal in the second quarter. Payton chose aggression, going for it on 4th & 1 in the red zone. While that approach fits the modern NFL, it raised eyebrows immediately, given the setting and the stakes.

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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 the 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 Broncos Country staring at what could have been.