The snowy conditions at Denver’s Empower Field presented an issue beyond just the CBS Sports’ AFC championship game broadcast, where it made the yard lines unclear. The Broncos team themselves might also have faced difficulties due to their inability to distinctly see the field markers.
Denver’s kicker, Wil Lutz, missed a 45-yard field goal attempt that could have leveled the score at 10 with 4 minutes and 42 seconds left in the fourth quarter. New England Patriots defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III made contact with the ball using his fingertips, causing the kick to deflect to the right and fall short of the target.
Following the game, Lutz informed reporters that the Broncos might have positioned themselves one yard further back than intended because they could not discern the yard lines on the playing surface.
“My assumption is that, regrettably, the lines on the field were invisible, and truthfully, we could have been a yard off at the point of the snap,” Lutz remarked, as reported by Scotty Gange of 9NEWS. “We were forced to approximate our positioning.”
Lutz’s account suggests that the Broncos might have established their position at the 29-yard line rather than the 28. Consequently, his effort for a 45-yard field goal was effectively an attempt from 46 yards.
Nevertheless, would such a discrepancy have been significant? Indeed, a single yard can be crucial, particularly in a match decided by three points. Yet, Taylor still managed to impede the kick. Might Lutz have achieved greater elevation on his attempt had he been positioned a yard closer? Would the trajectory of the ball have deviated less to the left if the Broncos had been situated at what they believed was the accurate yard line?
Lutz, in fact, failed on two field goal tries during Sunday’s contest. His 54-yard effort, with 24 seconds remaining before the intermission, veered wide to the right. Snow was absent from the field for that particular kick, though the chilly and blustery weather undoubtedly complicated a lengthy attempt. He did, however, seem to possess the requisite power.
The seasoned player, with nine years of experience, further confessed to journalists that he had no prior experience kicking in snowy conditions. His initial six seasons in the NFL were spent playing for the New Orleans Saints.
Throughout the regular season, Lutz successfully converted 28 out of 32 field-goal opportunities. Two of his unsuccessful attempts originated from distances between 40 and 49 yards, while the remaining two were from 50 yards or more. In November, he and the Broncos reached an agreement for a three-year contract renewal.
