Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham made no excuses after Sunday’s 10-7 AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots.
When snow blanketed the field on Sunday afternoon, making visibility and footing difficult, it was the Patriots who did more in the second half, running the ball effectively and utilizing the passing attack in moderation.
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To his credit, Stidham made no excuses on the Broncos‘ end when it came to the weather. “The conditions are what they are,” Stidham said after the loss. “Both teams were playing in it. I think we only had a handful of plays in the third quarter when we were going into the wind that way. In the fourth quarter, it was just back and forth and back and forth and trying to make plays. Like I said, the conditions are what they are. Both teams had to do it.”
The Broncos had several opportunities to tie the game, or even take the lead, before the weather set in. Two missed field goals from kicker Wil Lutz, one of which was blocked, a turnover on downs inside the red zone, and a crucial Stidham fumble inside the 15 did not help Denver’s chances.
Denver struggled to move the ball in the second half, with only one drive over four plays, and only one drive that was more than 10 yards. In that same span, the Patriots had four drives over 10 yards, and three of which were four or more plays, including a monster nine-minute drive to begin the second half.
“I was dealing with it, [Patriots quarterback] Drake [Maye] was dealing with it,” Stidham said. “It is what it is. You can’t make an excuse for it.”
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Denver will have months to mull on the game and figure out what they could do differently in the future.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Jarrett Stidham says snow not to blame for loss