The frustration and disappointment were clear as day inside the Broncos’ locker room late Sunday night.
A loud scream echoed from the showers. Outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper stood in front of his locker, shaking his head and at a loss for words. Quarterback Russell Wilson walked off the podium before the final question was asked.
“We had everything to play for and we were at home,” Cooper said in disbelief after Denver fell, 26-23, to the New England Patriots on Christmas Eve. “It sucks.”
On Sunday night, the Broncos’ Christmas miracle turned into a nightmare in an instant.
Denver scored 16 straight points to tie the game at 23 late in the fourth quarter, then got the ball back with 1:42 to play and a shot at a game-winning drive. The Broncos offense went three-and-out instead, and the defense let quarterback Bailey Zappe drive the Patriots 43 yards on seven plays to set up Chad Ryland’s 56-yard game-winning field goal with two seconds remaining.
“You just can’t do that. Not in these types of games. Not in a must-win. Not in meaningful games in December, games you’ve got to win,” fullback Michael Burton said.
Denver (7-8) entered Christmas Eve with a 22% chance of making the playoffs, according to the New York Times playoff simulator. More importantly, the Broncos controlled their own destiny to some degree. Beat the three teams left on their schedule — each starting a backup quarter, and two led by interim head coaches — and the Broncos’ postseason odds improved dramatically.
But after Ryland’s kick soared through the uprights on a crisp December night, their playoff chances plummeted to 4% as their record dipped below .500 for the first time since Week 10.
“I haven’t done the math,” Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said about the team’s playoff odds. “I’m feeling this loss right now. We thought we should have won this game.”
Empower Field at Mile High has been a mecca for missed opportunities for the Broncos this season.
Among Denver’s home losses have been setbacks to the Washington Commanders, New York Jets, Las Vegas Raiders and Patriots — teams that have a combined record of 20-39.
Sunday’s defeat to the Patriots stung the most. Not only was there a lot at stake for the Broncos, but New England was already out of the playoff picture and playing without safety Jabrill Peppers, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, running back Rhamondre Stevenson and tight end Hunter Henry.
The Patriots even handed Denver an early holiday present when Zappe fumbled the ball on the first play of the game, gifting the Broncos possession at New England’s 6-yard line. Four plays later, Denver had zero points to show for it, and the team’s list of missed chances only grew from there.
When asked about his team’s postseason picture, Broncos head coach Sean Payton responded that he didn’t want to “insert the Jim Mora ‘playoffs’ press conference.”
“We have our next opportunity next week and we kind of go from there,” he added.
Safety P.J. Locke said he understood the season is not completely over. At the same time, he was frustrated knowing the Broncos need more than just victories in the final two weeks to play meaningful games in January.
“Now, we got to depend on other teams to lose and all this (junk),” he said.