It was just so funny
Of all the ways that Denver could have lost Monday's game, I never imagined it would be for lack of faith in the new quarterback, but here we are.
I laugh when kickers miss kicks. Unless it’s Washington’s kicker of course. In Eugene at the end of the fourth quarter. Then it’s not funny.
But usually I find it hilarious, and I’ve never found a missed field goal funnier than the one that occurred in Seattle on Monday night. I mean, not for Russell Wilson obviously. Or the people he loves and who love him. Or for Bronco fans.
But for the rest of us? I mean, the universe must have a sense of humor because Russ left Seattle in large part because he didn’t feel he was valued as much as a quarterback of his caliber should be valued, and in his first game with a new team his new coach decided it was a better bet to ask his kicker to match the second-longest field goal in NFL history, outdoors and at sea level no less, than trust the new quarterback to gain 5 yards. On the other hand, Russ did get to throw 42 passes in the game so maybe it all evens out.
But of all the ways the Broncos could have lost this game, I did not imagine it was going to be due to a lack of faith in Wilson. I thought they’d already decided they were going to sink or swim based on his performance. The Broncos were going to be his ride-or-die.
It’s not just that they traded four draft picks and three players for him or that they gave him a new contract that will average $49 million annually. All anyone has heard for the six months with the trade is how Denver was going to cater to Wilson in a way that Seattle never would. The Broncos were going to lean into his strengths as a passer, accentuate them even. They were going to seek out his input on personnel.
And then, in Wilson’s first game with his new team playing at his former home, Nathaniel Hackett decided he was content to run a single play in the last 70 seconds. He did this despite the fact the Broncos were at midfield with all of their timeouts, and after a check down to the running back on third-and-long gained 5 yards, he decided, “Yeah, that’s good enough.”
Broncos country, let’s kick!
Before we get back to the overall implications, I thought it was worth rounding up some of the funnier reactions I found online: