After the Denver Broncos' loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, head coach Sean Payton is coming under significant fire for a controversial decision on a 4th-and-1 play in the 2nd quarter.
The decision to go for it on that 4th down play, in particular, was not the wisest move, even without the benefit of hindsight. Payton had a chance to put the Broncos up 10-0 in the AFC Championship Game, keep the momentum, and instead took the risk of going for it, coming up with zero points.
Even if the idea of going for it is justified, it's highly concerning that the Broncos didn't run the ball on 4th-and-1 inside the Patriots' 30.