It’s no secret that the Denver Broncos are off to a less than stellar start to the season. Week 1 saw them lose a game that should have been easily winnable on paper. The offense hasn’t looked as promised, the coaching staff looks confused, and Justin Simmons is currently out for a projected four weeks. So, are the Broncos in trouble?
First Two Weeks
The Broncos dropped a close game in Week 1 against the Seahawks in a game that should have been a smooth start to the season. Questions immediately arose regarding the play of Russell Wilson and specifically the coaching decisions led by head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Hackett addressed his decision making and admitted that he should have gone for it on a crucial 4th down rather than attempting a 64-yard field goal. Broncos fans were already weary heading into the season with a new head coach at the helm, and this game did little to resolve those concerns.
Week 2’s game against the Texans represented an opportunity for the Broncos to bounce back in spectacular fashion against another team that wasn’t supposed to be competitive. This is obviously the NFL, and every team has professional athletes and coaching staffs, and the old saying “Any Given Sunday” is echoed to this day for a reason. However, many Broncos fans expressed frustration during Sunday’s win. It got so bad, in fact, that at one point during the game the fans were counting down the play clock.
https://twitter.com/jbbrisco/status/1571639492984950784?s=20&t=G4qLj2f4jaGw_MLfjyGgjQ
You can’t entirely blame the fans, although it’s a bit classless. Earlier in the game the Broncos were forced from a field goal into a punt because of a delay of game penalty caused by Hackett’s indecision on play calling. The play calling continued to be horrendous during Week 2, causing many fans to question Hackett’s future with the organization.
Is It Time for Hackett to Go?
I would be booing myself. I was getting very frustrated. We get down to the red zone two times. Don’t get another touchdown, which is unbelievably frustrating. I don’t think we have scored in there yet. That’s something that all of our guys have to step it up. Whether we run the ball more, whatever we’re doing, we just have to execute at a higher level.
Hackett on Bronco’s Fans Booing
As frustrated as Broncos fans are, this is an extremely premature gathering of the pitchforks. Certainly, Hackett has made some terrible decisions already. Trying a trick play on 3rd and 1 rather than muscling it inside for the first down leaves many folks scratching their heads. Not letting your quarterback pick up a first down late in the game and trying a long field goal doesn’t make much sense. Being indecisive and letting the play clock run out, eliminating the chance to put points on the board is one of the worst coaching errors possible. However, this is also the NFL, and Hackett is a first-year coach. There are going to be learning curves. Football games are hard to call and even harder to manage. The Texans have also showed to be a competitive team through the first two weeks, despite what most fans thought going into the season.
The Final Say
Things are rough through the first two weeks, but a win is a win. Fans that are taking their pitchforks off the rack and calling for Hackett’s job need to relax. Give this team time to get into a rhythm. The last thing you want is to have high coaching turnover on a team that has so many young, promising players. Get behind this team, and for the love of football, don’t become a toxic fanbase Bronco Nation. Hackett will be fine. The offense will get clicking sooner than later. The defense will continue to dominate.
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