Sean Payton says fourth-down call is a moment ‘wish you had back’

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton made a key decision that might have cost his team a spot in the Super Bowl.

He talked about it after the game, a 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship, but elaborated more on Tuesday.

The Broncos held their end of season press conferences with both Sean Payton and GM George Paton.

Payton gave a lengthy answer about the decision to go for it on fourth-down up 7-0. A short field goal would’ve given the Broncos a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, but he called timeout and still went for it.

A pass to RJ Harvey from backup QB Jarrett Stidham, playing for an injured Bo Nix, never stood a chance. It sounds like Payton isn’t upset he went for it, rather the play he called instead.

“Specifically to the fourth-down call, I don’t know which is the greater regret. The decision, certainly the play-call. Back in the good old days you used to be able to get a measurement. Alright? And there was something about a measurement that did two things. I knew he was short and when you look at the film he was actually a little shorter than they marked it. But it also buys you time to think of the call you want. So, we used the timeout,” Payton said.

After the timeout, the offense was still on the field. Rather than run the football, Sean Payton had Stidham pass it. It didn’t work out and the Broncos weren’t able to put another point on the board the rest of the afternoon.

“I think probably what irks me more is the call, more than the decision,” Payton said. “There are those moments where you wish you had back.”

And if Denver does get that fourth-down, who knows? They likely would’ve eventually gone up 10-0 or perhaps even 14-0. We might be preparing for the Super Bowl, rather than a bitterly disappointing end to a magical season. Still, it’s onward for Sean Payton and the rest of the Broncos.

“You’re going to get punched and have some tough losses,” Payton said. “That can’t discourage you from coming back or you’re never gonna taste it.”

Hopefully, this time next year the franchise is on the verge of tasting its fourth championship. It could’ve happened this season, but that fourth-down call didn’t help.

It’s one that will certainly be debated over and over again all spring and summer.

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