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Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for the Denver Broncos, it got worse. On a Thursday night home game against the 1-2-1 Indianapolis Colts, Denver had a chance to turn the season around and prove to the football world that they made the right decisions with head coach Nathaniel Hackett and quarterback Russell Wilson.
So far, it hasn’t looked good as the Broncos have fallen to a 2-3 overall record this season. Hackett’s offense is averaging less than 20 points per game this season and has been consistently disappointing in the red zone.
When Denver had a chance to go up six points late in the fourth-quarter with less than two minutes left in the game, Wilson threw an interception in the endzone. This gave Matt Ryan and the Colts a chance to go down and force overtime with a field goal. Sure enough, the game went into overtime.
In overtime, Indianapolis drove right down the field and kicked a field goal forcing the Broncos to match the score or win the game with a touchdown.
Wilson led his Broncos down the field and got right into position to tie the game or win the game. On fourth-and-one from the Indianapolis nine-yard line, Hackett decided to go for the win and throw the ball instead of running the ball to pick up the one-yard. With Denver’s luck, Wilson would throw a pass intended for Courtland Sutton and cornerback Stephon Gilmore knocked down the pass.
During the play, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy ran a “pick play” to open a wide-open lane for K.J. Hamler and Wilson didn’t even look his way. It’s fair to say that Hamler would’ve scored easily.
KJ Hamler was slamming his helmet after the game. For good reason…
After the game, Hamler talked to NFL Network’s James Palmer and told him, “I could’ve walked in.”
Hamler also mentioned that he didn’t even hear Hackett’s postgame speech.
Hamler was seen after the play pounding his helmet onto the field.
Denver’s Offense Has to Play Better
Since Peyton Manning retired in 2016 and all the below average quarterbacks that the Broncos have started, Denver’s offense hasn’t been this bad.
After just five games this season, Denver is averaging 15 points per game which ranks 31st in the NFL, only ahead of the Colts at 13.8 points per game.
So far this season, Denver’s franchise quarterback has only thrown for over 300 yards in just one game. That came on opening night against the Seattle Seahawks. The former Super Bowl champion ranks 15th in passing yards with 250.8 per game.
Denver also ranks dead last in the NFL in red zone scoring at a 30% touchdown rate, per teamrankings.com. Last season, the Broncos scored a touchdown 54.7% of the time in the red zone with Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater under center.
The Broncos did lose running back Javonte Williams for the season after suffering a torn ACL last week against the Las Vegas Raiders. Now it’s Melvin Gordon’s job to carry the load, but he only rushed for 54 yards on 15 carries.
Denver needs their new highly paid quarterback to step up and make the magical plays he made in Seattle if this team has any shot at making it to the playoffs this season.
Broncos Country Was Embarrassed
When the fourth quarter was coming to an end and the score was tied at nine, Broncos fans were spotted leaving the game.
Broncos fans are leaving before overtime begins. YIKES. t.co/0pnhvhUr2Z
“Broncos fans are bailing,” Kirk Herbstreit said on the Thursday night broadcast. “They’ve had enough,” said legendary broadcaster Al Michaels.
According to Mike Klis of 9News in Denver, there were 71,702 fans at the game. This mean that there were 4,965 no shows for the game.
It’s safe to say that Broncos fans are frustrated and disgusted in what they’ve witnessed so far this season.