The Denver Broncos lasted one round longer than the Chicago Bears in the playoffs, but both teams fell out of the race for the Super Bowl after making the same fatal mistake: being too aggressive.
More News: Bears veteran warns team could see mass exodus in free agency
Per Seth Wickersham of ESPN, Broncos head coach Sean Payton said the Bears needed to “kick it” on 4th-and-2 from the Rams 21-yard line on their opening drive of the Divisional Round. Instead, quarterback Caleb Williams threw an interception.
Payton questioned Chicago head coach Ben Johnson’s decision to go for it instead of settling for three points after what had been a successful 42-yard drive up to that point.
“Why are coaches not kicking field goals?” Payton asked.
A week later, Payton would get caught being too aggressive in the AFC championship, opting to go for it on 4th-and-1 from the New England Patriots 14-yard line in the second quarter with the Broncos up 7-0.
Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham couldn’t complete the pass, and Denver wouldn’t get a better look the rest of the game as a snowstorm would be the storyline in the second half of a 10-7 Patriots’ win.
Why Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos wanted extra points
More News: NFL reveals punishment decision on DJ Moore
Payton told reporters after the game he wanted the opportunity to go up 14 points.
“We had momentum,” Payton said. “Get up 14, and felt like we had a good call… I think the feeling was, let’s be aggressive–to get up 14. I was just watching where defense was going, and… the turnover on our end, resulting in a touchdown. Outside of that, they did a good job of contain.”
Johnson must have been thinking the same thing against the Rams, figuring the Bears needed to score touchdowns to keep up. Los Angeles scored a touchdown on its opening drive, but the game ended with the Rams earning a 20-17 victory in overtime.
Had Johnson settled for field goals earlier in the game, Chicago would have had a better opportunity to win in regulation.
Will coaches learn that lesson before 2026?
For More Chicago Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @JordanSig, and follow us @ChiCitySports23. You can also reach out to Jordan Sigler via email at [email protected]. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Chicago sports, click here! Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Bears’ Declan Doyle makes major decision on his future
Read MoreFor More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE
