Wil Lutz Says Broncos May Have Made Brutal Mistake Before Missed FG

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz missed two field goal attempts in the 10–7 loss in the AFC championship | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Broncos came up short in their attempt to reach the Super Bowl, falling to the Patriots, 10–7, in a game that was significantly impacted by the weather. The snow picked up during the second half, and as conditions worsened, so did the play on the field. Offense became hard to come by, and both sides had issues on special teams.

Denver’s veteran kicker Wil Lutz was not adapting well to the snow. He missed both of his field goal attempts during the loss, one of which was blocked by Leonard Taylor III. Speaking to reporters after the game, Lutz admitted the snow caused the Broncos to make a potentially critical mistake when lining up for a potential game-tying kick in the fourth quarter.

Lutz said that the snow made it extremely difficult to see the lines on the field, which may have caused the field goal unit to line up the snap about a yard short, via James Palmer of The Athletic. That one yard may have been all the difference in whether Lutz’s kick got off cleanly. Because they lined up short, they were closer to the line of scrimmage, which made it a bit easier for a defender to get their hands on the ball.

Here’s a look at the kick:

Patriots DT Leonard Taylor got called up from the Practice Squad last night and just blocked a Field Goal in the AFC Championship

pic.twitter.com/MAQA1OS4sS

— Clint Goss (@NFLDraftDome) January 25, 2026

It’s certainly possible that an extra yard would have been enough for that ball to get the elevation it needed to sail over the top of Taylor’s fingertips. Instead, the kick was blocked and the Patriots recovered, holding onto their narrow lead with just under five minutes left in regulation.

Lutz admitted to reporters that he’d never played in conditions quite as extreme as the ones present in Sunday’s AFC championship game. He attempted two field goals in the loss, one from 54 yards out before halftime and then the 45-yard attempt that was blocked. Denver also notably elected not to kick on fourth down in the red zone during the first half before subsequently failing to convert on the ensuing play. That was a decision that haunted them throughout the remainder of the game.

Entering play on Sunday, Lutz was 15 for 20 on field goal attempts in his career in the playoffs, but he wasn’t able to convert on either of his critical kicks during the snowy showdown in Denver.

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