SEATTLE, Wash. — On Sunday, we put up a list of the most questionable coaching decisions in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season.
Leave it to new Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett to outdo everybody else in Week 1 when it came to specious play calls.
In their 17-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field, the Broncos, who were supposed to be a quarterback away from Super Bowl contention, failed and fumbled in the red zone more often than anybody could have expected. Russell Wilson, the quarterback Denver decided was the missing piece, completed 29 of 42 passes for 340 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions.
But it was the play Wilson wasn’t allowed to make that made all the difference. With 1:11 left in the game, Wilson hit running back Javonte Williams for a nine-yard gain that took the ball to the Seattle 46-yard line. The Broncos and Seahawks then traded timeouts, and Denver let the clock run to 20 seconds with two timeouts left in their pockets.
Then, rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett made the call to send kicker Brandon McManus out to attempt a 64-yard field goal that had the distance, but missed left. And with that, the quarterback the Broncos traded three players and a huge haul of draft picks to acquire, was not entrusted with the game at the most crucial turn.
Brandon McManus misses the last-second FG and the Seahawks WIN. 🥶 pic.twitter.com/phy2oBIGdE
— SBR Sports Picks (@SBRSportsPicks) September 13, 2022
The math really didn’t add up with this decision. Most likely, Hackett was reacting to his team’s ability to get anything done in the red zone.
The probability of Russell Wilson and the Broncos offense converting on 4th & 5 against the Seahawks defense in that situation (factoring in team and QB strength) was 42.1%.
If the Broncos had converted on 4th & 5, even with 20 seconds & 2 TO, the odds of scoring 3+ was 66.2%.
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 13, 2022
Seahawks defensive lineman Shelby Harris, one of the three players traded from Denver to Seattle, had a definitive set of answers regarding Seattle’s determination in the most important points. Denver fumbled more than once at the opposing one-yard line — two straight drives in the third quarter ended this way, — and the offense just seemed off all over the place.
A MUST WATCH interview with former #broncos DL Shelby Harris on beating his old team. He. Had A LOT too say. Our interview on @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/KSydYCe0eO
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) September 13, 2022
What did the Broncos have to say about the final disaster from Hackett and Wilson on down? We have the answers.
Head coach Nathaniel Hackett
“I give so much credit to the Seahawks, to our players battling the whole night to be able to put ourselves in position to potentially win with a game winning field goal. You know, with all those things against us, I thought those guys did a good job. Just got to be better in the red zone. That starts with me. Got to be sure we have a better plan and are able to get physical down there and score some touchdowns instead of field goals, or nothing at all.”
Did you think twice about having McManus kick the field goal after he missed the first one when Seattle called a time out to ice him?
“No. I was happy he got that one out of the way. I thought he had plenty of distance on that one and just thought that we were going to be able to make that. I have confidence in him, and if we have to put him in that situation again, I think he’ll be able to make it.”
Quarterback Russell Wilson
Were you surprised that the ball was taken out of your hands at that point?
“Well, we got the best field goal kicker maybe in the game. We knew that we… we said, where can you make it from tonight, and he said 46 left hash. I think we were on the 46. That was before the drive. We got it there; unfortunately didn’t go in. I think he has the leg for it for sure. Just went a little left I believe and just — I believe in Coach Hackett. I believe in what we’re doing. Believe in everything, and any time you can try to find a way to make a play on fourth and five, that’s great too. Also, I don’t think it was the wrong decision. I think he can make it. Obviously hindsight he didn’t make it, but we were in that situation again I wouldn’t doubt whatever he decided.”
Receiver Jerry Jeudy
Did you want to go for it on fourth down?
“I was just doing my job and doing what coach asked of me. I think coach made the right decision. [Brandon McManus] just didn’t make a field goal, but we see [him] make those kicks all the time.”
Kicker Brandon McManus
Were you worried at all about making that kick after you missed the one that was negated by the timeout?
“I wasn’t really worried about the distance necessarily. Once you get back that far, especially with a slight breeze right to left, once the ball starts losing velocity I knew it was going to fall left. So I wanted to aim it towards the right upright and, you know, it kind of started it down the middle, and it kind of fell off there. I wanted to aim it further right, and it didn’t happen.”
What about the plays leading up to that attempt?
“We’ve been very good about that, understanding the whole aspects of the game. I told them the 46 left hash, and they got me exactly there. They had the faith in me. I’ve just got to make that kick.”
Did being iced affect you at all?
“There’s no problem for me. I get a practice kick, even though I wasn’t really set. I wanted to kick the ball just to see if my guess was right, if the ball would move left, and it did both kicks. I knew I had to kick it toward the right upright in order to make it, and I kicked it down the middle to start.”
Were you confident in making that kick based on practice? How did you feel?
“Pretty good. We did two different situations. I’ll do a normal distance in the first or third quarters. A normal kick is probably more like the 40-yard line, so you’re kicking a 58 at a pretty high percentage. I’d say that’s like an 80 percent under kind of kick. Obviously from that distance the percentage is lower. I’ve attempted so many, like you said, that was kind of my goal, to make more of them from that distance. I would definitely say that’s more in the 65 percent, 70 percent range.”
Offensive guard Dalton Risner
Did the offense want to be out there on fourth down?
“One thing I’ve always believed as a player is, if you don’t get it on fourth and five, everyone’s going to be like, ‘Dang, you have a great kicker, you should’ve kicked that field goal because he could’ve made it.’ We put the field goal team out there and we miss it, and everyone’s like, ‘Dang, [the offense] should’ve been out there for fourth and five.’ But, to your point, of course I’m going to answer the bell, whatever it is. I’m on the field goal team as well, so whatever they call, I’m running with the coaches.
“Of course, I’d like to be out there on fourth and five, but I was cool with the field goal call as well because I think Brandon McManus is one of the best in the league. I think if he gets that opportunity one more time, he’s going to nail it.”
