The New England Patriots secured a berth in the Feb. 8 Super Bowl with a 10-7 victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. They will face either the Los Angeles Rams or the Seattle Seahawks.
However, the Broncos had an opportunity in the game to kick a field goal for three points, which could have led to an overtime showdown. Instead, head coach Sean Payton opted to go for it on fourth down, a costly decision that drew criticism from former head coach Tony Dungy.
Tony Dungy Criticizes Broncos’ Sean Payton for Fourth-Down Decision
Instead of attempting a field goal on fourth-and-1 on the Patriots’ side of the field, Payton decided to go for it, ultimately turning the ball over on downs.
BRONCOS STOPPED ON 4TH AND 1
not a fan of that play call.pic.twitter.com/B2m1tHB5Nr
— JPA (@jasrifootball) January 25, 2026
Payton’s decision denied the Broncos a chance to go up 10-0, prompting widespread criticism from fans. Adding to that criticism was Dungy, who had the following to say about the play call:
“As I said earlier…with these two defenses and the weather forecast…will the Broncos regret not having those 3 points at the end of the game? Yes. Points were going to be hard to get today.”
As I said earlier…with these two defenses and the weather forecast…will the Broncos regret not having those 3 points at the end of the game? Yes.
Points were going to be hard to get today pic.twitter.com/8tV3r7Y3hp— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) January 25, 2026
Dungy’s assessment proved accurate, as both defenses made scoring difficult throughout the game. In PFSN’s NFL Defensive Impact Metric (DEFi), the Broncos ranked as the league’s top defense with an impact score of 90.1 and a letter grade of A-.
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By comparison, the Patriots ranked 12th in PFSN’s DEFi with an impact score of 78.2 and a letter grade of C+. Additionally, New England did not face quarterback Bo Nix, who was injured in the Broncos’ 33-30 win over the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round. Instead, they defended against Jarrett Stidham, who has not played meaningful football since 2014.
The weather also played a major role. Windy, snow-covered conditions made offensive execution difficult and favored the defenses. When all factors are considered, it was clearly a defensive battle rather than an offensive showcase.
The Broncos are now eliminated from the playoffs and will turn their attention to the 2026 season beginning in September. The game serves as a reminder that while field goals may be worth only three points, they are far better than coming away with none.
