Mike McGlinchey offers a blunt response to Sean Payton's 4th down decision

The Denver Broncos lost the AFC Championship Game 10-7 against the New England Patriots, and one decision made by Sean Payton loomed large in the outcome of the game.

Payton made the decision to go for it on 4th-and-1 on a critical 2nd quarter play with the Broncos' offense driving. Up 7-0 at the time, Payton felt like his defense was playing so well that passing on a gimme field goal from Wil Lutz was worth the risk, and it didn't pay off.

Offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey was asked after the game about the decision by Payton, and while his statement was as blunt as it comes, it raises some questions about whether or not he actually agreed with it.

Mike McGlinchey gives blunt statement in response to Broncos' failed 4th-down play

The comment from McGlinchey here doesn't seem like he's exactly in full support of the decision to go for it on 4th down. Now, he obviously said that Payton's done a great job making those decisions situationally all year, but the initial statement from McGlinchey here almost makes it seem like he's pleading the fifth.

Deferring to the coach in that situation is not exactly saying you would have made the same call.

And obviously, with hindsight as our greatest ally in a situation like this, pretty much nobody would have gone for it knowing what we know now. If Payton's offense converts that 4th down and they are able to take a 14-0 lead over the Patriots, especially with the way the defense was playing, Payton looks like a genius.

But miss it? Well, you're going to come under some serious fire from the fans and media.

If the Broncos were going to be going up 3-0 or 6-0 in that situation, there might be more merit to Payton deciding to go for it. With the potential of taking a 10-0 lead in a game where you felt like your defense was playing dominant football, you have to take those points.

We saw it cost the Broncos throughout the game as they not only left points on the board there, but then missed a 54-yard field goal and had the elements play a major factor on a 46-yard attempt later on.

If he could go back and do it again, Payton might have chosen differently in that situation. But as Quinn Meinerz also pointed out, the offense didn't execute that play well. So the regret is settling in for many members of the team, but it's the head coach who has to fall on the sword when it doesn't work.