The Denver Broncos lost the AFC Championship game to the New England Patriots by a 7-10 score. A key factor in Sunday's loss was the weather in the second half. As expected, there was snow in this game, and it did not help, especially kicker Wil Lutz.
The former New Orleans Saints kicker, Wil Lutz, who was very consistent for the Denver Broncos throughout the regular season, missed two field goals in Sunday's AFC Championship game. Specifically, Lutz was 28 for 32 in field goals and 39 for 39 in extra points in the regular season.
Lutz's first miss was before halftime, with no snow yet in the game, but there was a lot of wind that did not help.
Once again, Wil Lutz, who made the game-winning field goal in overtime of the Divisional Round matchup against the Buffalo Bills, missed two field goals in Sunday's Conference Championship game. One for 54 yards before halftime, with no snow, and another one for 45 yards (blocked) in the fourth quarter, which could have tied the game. Speaking of that fourth-quarter miss, Lutz spoke to the media after the game and revealed something interesting.
Broncos kicker Wil Lutz on the missed fourth quarter field goal:
"Unfortunately you couldn’t see the lines on the field. We might have been a yard short on the snap."Broncos Kicker Wil Lutz
It is not an excuse for the miss because the weather did not help either of the two teams, but it is very interesting what Lutz mentioned after the game. New England's kicker, Andy Borregales, also missed a couple of field goals in the game.
If they were not sure of the field goal spot, they could have checked with the referee, but still, the snap was not the best, and the defender took advantage of it.
Unfortunately, we will not know what could have happened if Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw was lined up in the right spot; maybe the kick would have gone higher instead of being blocked by the Patriots defender, and the game would be tied with less than four minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Maybe there could have been overtime. We will never know.
In the end, you cannot blame the loss on that blocked field goal. Denver had chances throughout the game, and in the end, they could not secure the win. And as they say, football is a game of inches, and Sunday's Conference Championship game between the Broncos and Patriots proved it.
With the two missed field goals against the Patriots, Lutz is now 4 for 7 in playoff field goal attempts in his time in Denver. He missed one in last season's Wild Card against the Bills.