Going into the AFC Championship game, there was an impressive amount of hype surrounding Denver's backup quarterback and former Patriots' draft pick Jarrett Stidham, with many believing he would play at the same level as Bo Nix, if not better.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, that did not happen outside of one drive, and that ultimately led to their demise, but they at least have some excuses they can point to for losing their first home playoff game to the Patriots in franchise history.
One excuse, however, won't make the cut, not even in the mind of Stidham, despite the number of analysts and fans already pointing to it in a way to discredit what the Patriots accomplished on Sunday afternoon.
Jarrett Stidham was not interested in the argument about the weather playing a factor in the Broncos' loss
While speaking to reporters after the loss, the quarterback was unwilling to entertain the forthcoming excuse about the weather, since the conditions were cold, snowy, and challenging to see on the field.
But because both teams were dealing with the situation, not just the Broncos, Stidham shut down that narrative immediately, taking it away from any analysts or fans who might want to use it in the upcoming days.
“The conditions are what they are. Both teams were playing in it, so I think we only had a handful of plays in the third quarter when we were going into wind that way. In the fourth quarter, it was just back and forth and back and forth and trying to make plays. Like I said, the conditions are what they are.”
Where's the lie?
It's unsurprising that the vast majority of those outside New England were not thrilled that the Patriots walked out of Denver with the win and will head to their tenth Super Bowl of the last 25 years, but using weather as an argument, especially when the hosting team plays in those elements every season, is a lazy way of discrediting the opponent.
But now, those who want to cite the weather should reconsider, since even the starting quarterback for the Broncos has shut down that excuse. So what will the new one be?