Nik Bonitto knows what happened on Sunday. He just refuses to believe it.
The star edge rusher was in full-on denial after the Broncos suffered a 10-7 home loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. While speaking with reporters, Bonitto did the opposite of giving credit to the victor.
“It’s sickening,” Bonitto said, via Zac Stevens of DNVR Sports. “To think all that we fought through this year, all the games we had to win. Knowing we’re definitely the better team, but it just didn’t work out that way today.”
Bonitto didn’t say it, but you know what he was thinking: The Broncos would’ve won that game if Bo Nix were at quarterback instead of backup Jarrett Stidham.
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And maybe that’s true. However, that logic, which losing teams and fans often fall back on, is flawed.
Had Nix played, the Patriots obviously would’ve played the game entirely differently, perhaps more aggressively. The whole thing would’ve unfolded differently with its own unique set of situations and circumstances.
That doesn’t mean the Patriots still would’ve won. It just means we have absolutely no idea of what would’ve happened, because it didn’t.
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Regardless, the Broncos will get their hard-earned rest while the Patriots will prepare to face the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, Feb. 8, in Santa Clara, Calif.
Featured image via Isaiah J. Downing/Imagn Images
