Why Sean Payton is lamenting the botched 4th loss against the Patriots

The Denver Broncos saw their championship aspirations fade away in a 10-7 AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots, marking a quiet end to a dominant 14-3 season. In a dressing room filled with the heavy silence of the end of the season, Edge rusher Jonathon Cooper made a sobering observation:

“They just found a way to win and we didn’t.”

Despite a defensive performance that limited the Patriots to just ten points, the night was defined by Denver’s inability to capitalize on early opportunities.

Head coach Sean Payton pointed to the first half as the deciding factor, admitting that “the momentum and field position didn’t do what they should have done,” as the team failed to score again after the opening touchdown in the first quarter.

According to an ESPN report, Payton’s the deepest regret is centered on the second quarter sequence as Denver led 7-0. Facing a fourth-and-one at the New England 14-yard line, Payton initially dictated the play on the run, but after a timeout, he switched to a pass without a foul.

The decision backfired as the Patriots countered with a zone defense that blanketed the receivers.

“I wish I had stayed on the first play call,” Payton later admitted, explaining that “the look they showed on film, and the look we saw, was not the look we got. Payton’s aggressive mindset was clear—’I wanted 14-0’—but the missed conversion meant Denver left the red zone with no points, a missed opportunity they never recovered.

Two missed field goals and critical turnovers contributed to the defeat, leaving at least nine points on the table. Doc Peyton spent the moments after the game in silencestaring at his office floor and whispering, “I can’t believe we lost,” the focus now shifts to the 2026 offseason with significant resources.

While the 10-7 result at Empower Field remains a forgettable one, the organization successfully re-established itself as a powerhouse in the AFC, even if the revival of the “Orange Crush” fell one win short of its ultimate goal.