The Denver Broncos are owners of the longest active winning streak in the NFL. Denver’s turnaround under first-year head coach Sean Payton has rightfully turned heads across the league.
However, not everyone is sold on the Broncos’ resurgence. According to Mike Sando of The Athletic, an unnamed defensive coach took a slight dig at Payton’s play calling for Russell Wilson.
“Sean is calling the game almost as if Russell is a rookie quarterback,” the coach told Sando in his article published November 27. “Basically, it’s run, run and if he’s not throwing it either one or two in a progression, he can scramble, which plays to his strengths. I hate to use this term, but he’s a game manager. He’s a very good one, too.”
Wilson has been solid but unspectacular under Payton’s coaching. Due to the scaled-back offense, the veteran quarterback has averaged a career-low 6.9 yards per pass attempt.
His 199.9 passing yards per game is his lowest total since his 2012 rookie campaign with the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson has passed under 200 yards in four of Denver’s last five games. The Broncos shifting to a lower-risk offense is designed to minimize mistakes and put the defense in a better position.
“They don’t want the quarterback and the offense to mess it up after they were turning it over early in the year,” a second opposing defensive coach told Sando. “(Wilson) is throwing checkdowns as quick as I’ve ever seen him.”
TV Personality Hypes Russell Wilson: ‘No Better Quarterback in the Red Zone’
While the two unnamed defensive coaches haven’t bought into the Wilson hype, one television personality has.
NFL Network host Peter Schrager praised Wilson during the November 27 episode of “Good Morning Football.”
“Last year we spent an entire year looking at the trade compensation for the Seahawks and laughing at how dumb the Broncos were. I think it’s kind of a good deal. They have Russell Wilson as their quarterback. Look at all the terrible quarterback play in the league. The Broncos have a guy,” Schrager said.
The analyst emphasized, “there is no better quarterback in the red zone than Russell Wilson.”
Wilson has completed 34-of-50 red zone passes with 17 touchdowns to zero interceptions for a 116.7 passer rating. Schrager believes Denver can finally feel confident about the blockbuster Wilson trade since they acquired him in March 2022.
“The Broncos for the first time since making that trade can say from over the fence, ‘We kind of like the trade.'”
Schrager mentioned the Broncos should like the trade as Wilson is “playing amazing” in his second season in Denver.
Russell Wilson Discusses Broncos’ Turnaround: ‘Never Doubted’
The NFL world was ready to give up on Wilson after Denver’s 5-12 season in 2022. History was doomed to repeat itself following the Broncos’ 1-5 start through the first six weeks this year.
Despite their early rough patch, Wilson “never doubted” his team and where they could go.
“I think the biggest thing is just understanding that we’ve lost some close games,” Wilson told reporters on November 26. “And we lost some tough games early but that helps you prepare and understand that it’s a long journey. We have a lot more ahead of us – lots more football. A lot more great teams ahead of us. We have to stay focused on us.”
Denver has a brutal road matchup awaiting them in Week 13 with the Houston Texans. The game will go a long way towards deciding the AFC playoff picture. Per The New York Times, the Broncos boosted their playoff chances to 34% after beating the Cleveland Browns in Week 12.
Payton’s squad has seemingly hit their stride at the best possible time. Ever the optimist, Wilson senses the Broncos are “starting to learn what it takes to win.”
“The biggest thing that Broncos Country is feeling us as players organizationally, inside that building, and most importantly inside that locker room is a relentless belief in each other. A relentless belief in the coaches and who we are and where we’re going – and what it takes to win.”
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NFL Coach Takes Dig at Sean Payton’s ‘Rookie’ Treatment of Russell Wilson