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A victory by Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos in their 2023 Week 16 game against the New England Patriots would have improved their playoff chances. Going 8-7 would have placed them in a six-team logjam with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Winning against the Patriots would have also kept the pressure on the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West division title. However, the Broncos lost at home to New England, and fans blamed Payton’s time management for the defeat.
Football fanatics criticize Sean Payton for giving New England another chance during regulation
With the score tied at 23, the New England Patriots got the ball back at their 19-yard line with 58 seconds left. It looked like they were playing for overtime when they gave the ball to running back Ezekiel Elliott on first down.
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Letting the time run would have milked more seconds off the game clock. However, Payton called a timeout after Elliott’s six-yard run. In the next play, Elliott ran the ball for one yard. But instead of allowing the time to dwindle, Payton called another timeout with 47 seconds left.
Bailey Zappe then completed passes to DeVante Parker, Elliott, and Mike Gesicki, putting placekicker Chad Ryland within field goal range.
Despite his earlier misses, Ryland converted what turned out to be the game-winner with two seconds left.
The decisions from Payton to call timeouts had one football fan saying:
“Sean Payton needs his brain investigated from this coaching performance tonight’
Meanwhile, the NFL’s Gregg Rosenthal commented:
“The Patriots were trying to get to OT and Sean Payton didn't let them”
Here are other reactions to Payton’s questionable clock management in the fourth quarter of the Broncos-Patriots Christmas Eve matchup.
Denver’s playoff hopes take massive blow with loss to New England
The Broncos looked finished when Cody Davis’ fumble return gave the Patriots a 23-7 third-quarter lead. However, the home team fought back as Russell Wilson threw touchdown passes to Lucas Krull and Brandon Johnson. They also converted both two-point tries to level the count at 23.
However, New England marched down the field and scored a game-winning field goal to dent the Broncos' playoff hopes. Although Sean Payton and the Broncos still have their playoff window open, they will need help from other teams to end the franchise’s seven-season postseason drought. Denver will face the Los Angeles Chargers at home and the Las Vegas Raiders on the road in their remaining regular season games.
They have lost three of their last four after a five-game winning streak that negated their 1-5 start.
