Why The Broncos Opted For The FG

[AROS]

My honest belief as to why the coach chose to go for a 64 yard FG instead of trusting Russ to go for it on 4th and 5 is because of the pressure involved with his contract and the expectations. He didn't want to put Russ in a situation to win the game only to falter. That would have been potentially damaging to the way his teammates and fans perceive him. "Did we blow $250 million on someone who can't win a game for us?"

I do think it was a psychological decision. Had he thrown an incompletion or pick, the fallout could have been massive.

 

[chris98251]

Well based on the situation it's pretty massive already, the reasons and excuses don't mesh well with what everyone seen. That and Wilson saying for 10 plus years those are the moments he lives for and he didn't even talk to Hackett. Just not a feel right blend of things.

 

[Biscanebay12]

Denver needs to just stop talking. Pretty much had all the talking stopped, then started making more excuses.

 

[OrangeGravy]

My honest belief as to why the coach chose to go for a 64 yard FG instead of trusting Russ to go for it on 4th and 5 is because of the pressure involved with his contract and the expectations. He didn't want to put Russ in a situation to win the game only to falter. That would have been potentially damaging to the way his teammates and fans perceive him. "Did we blow $250 million on someone who can't win a game for us?"

I do think it was a psychological decision. Had he thrown an incompletion or pick, the fallout could have been massive.

The thing that I noticed was Russell didn’t put up much of a fight to stay on the field. It sounds like he didn't even have a conversation with Hackett during the timeout! If that's true, Russell was either in agreement with the call or wasn't and failed to lobby the coach. In either case, it's a total cowardly beta move. CYA at its finest

 

[toffee]

Well based on the situation it's pretty massive already, the reasons and excuses don't mesh well with what everyone seen. That and Wilson saying for 10 plus years those are the moments he lives for and he didn't even talk to Hackett. Just not a feel right blend of things.

He didn't talk to Hackett on his way back to the sideline, he didn't talk to Hackett during the first timeout, he again didn't talk to Hackett after Pete called timeout, he just stood there. It was unreal, at the time, he neither endorse nor protest about kicking.

Now he said he supports Hackett, kinda, but he wanted to go for it, kinda. Hackett also changed his stories too. I have no doubt that if Wilson talked to Hackett on the sideline during the timeout, he will be sent back in.

 

[Pandion Haliaetus]

Russ biggest skill set is his interview. Bro, smiling like everything good while he’s lying through his teeth.

Man, if Broncos fail to beat the Texans in their home opener and fall 0-2. Look Out. Their schedule gets much more tougher besides 2 games vs the Jets and Jags. And if it doesn’t go their way and the Broncos season ends up in a situation where they are like 4-5, 3-6 after 9 games with their backs against the wall, we are really going to see what Wilson is made of and if that team implodes instead of rising up to the occasion…

That has to be on Russ, he’s the defacto leader whether he wants it or not, he has to lead them through that adversity and carry, and if he fails at that like he did at the end of this game. That’s all I need to know that that everyone involved in the decision trade Wilson made the right choice. Unfortunately, for him his new fans and new team will know it too. It won’t be a good look for his legacy but he he’ll continue to smile through it all, telling that fan base and his team, that everything is going to be okay and that they will get after it next year better and stronger than before.

Sorry, that smile man it rubs me the wrong way.

 

[toffee]

Russ biggest skill set is his interview. Bro, smiling like everything good while he’s lying through his teeth.

Man, if Broncos fail to beat the Texans in their home opener and fall 0-2. Look Out. Their schedule gets much more tougher besides 2 games vs the Jets and Jags. And if it doesn’t go their way and the Broncos season ends up in a situation where they are like 4-5, 3-6 after 9 games with their backs against the wall, we are really going to see what Wilson is made of and if that team implodes instead of rising up to the occasion…

That has to be on Russ, he’s the defacto leader whether he wants it or not, he has to lead them through that adversity and carry, and if he fails at that like he did at the end of this game. That’s all I need to know that that everyone involved in the decision trade Wilson made the right choice. Unfortunately, for him his new fans and new team will know it too. It won’t be a good look for his legacy but he he’ll continue to smile through it all, telling that fan base and his team, that everything is going to be okay and that they will get after it next year better and stronger than before.

Sorry, that smile man it rubs me the wrong way.

Couple of thoughts after reading your post:

1. Russ openly said that he wanted more control, Broncos promised him that, he and Hackett are PARTNERS, sounded like equal to me.
2. Russ also openly announced that he joined Broncos because he wouldn't have to carry them.

 

[keasley45]

Denver needs to just stop talking. Pretty much had all the talking stopped, then started making more excuses.

Yup. Not the most adept leadership. First in the decision on the field, and then in continuing to go on about it. The honeymoon in Denver might be cut a bit short if they lose this weekend.

 

[bigskydoc]

Imagine the highlight reel, though.

First the XLIX interception, followed immediately by the failed 4th down conversion in his first Broncos start.

Sigh... What could have been.

 

[Bobblehead]

So he wasn't thinking about winning the game?

 

[Recon_Hawk]

The refs should have penalize Denver for taking a practice kick. The whistles were blown well before the snap, but they went through the kick anyways. I'm getting flash backs of the Falcons playoff game in 2012 where the kicker missed on his practice kick and nailed the 2nd official kick. I thought the league was supposed to penalize teams doing this.

 

[toffee]

The refs should have penalize Denver for taking a practice kick. The whistles were blown well before the snap, but they went through the kick anyways. I'm getting flash backs of the Falcons playoff game in 2012 where the kicker missed on his practice kick and nailed the 2nd official kick. I thought the league was supposed to penalize teams doing this.

No whistle might have helped us, if there was a penalty, Hackett would have no choice but sending Russ back in for a hail Mary, and one never knows.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

My honest belief as to why the coach chose to go for a 64 yard FG instead of trusting Russ to go for it on 4th and 5 is because of the pressure involved with his contract and the expectations. He didn't want to put Russ in a situation to win the game only to falter. That would have been potentially damaging to the way his teammates and fans perceive him. "Did we blow $250 million on someone who can't win a game for us?"

I do think it was a psychological decision. Had he thrown an incompletion or pick, the fallout could have been massive.

If this is the case then the Walton family should fire Hackett immediately.

 

[Recon_Hawk]

No whistle might have helped us, if there was a penalty, Hackett would have no choice but sending Russ back in for a hail Mary, and one never knows.

Good point. It worked out for us but if they would have made that kick I would have been pissed since he did miss his practice kick

 

[JPatera76]

I saw a post from earlier that explains it very well. Wilson shit the bed basically with clock management. 15 seconds headset communication is cut off etc etc. (which Denver most the game taking it down to 5 seconds almost. is in line with what we've seen the last 10 yrs.) Also brings me to my next point.. Those dumbasses in that video have they not seen a Seattle game the last 10 yrs with russell here from start to finish? They want to blame hackett for the time issue and the long huddles etc etc... Its the same shit we saw here CONSTANTLY.

Also, Russell was too busy on the sidelines trying to yell to his defense if it was pass or run and trying to encourage other teammates on the sideline to yell with him.

At that point he was probably just "done" like ready to gtfo of there.

 

[RedAlice]

is this Wilson coaching Hackett? or Hackett coaching Wilson?

 

[Lagartixa]

is this Wilson coaching Hackett? or Hackett coaching Wilson?

It's a "partnership."

Russell Wilson, Nathaniel Hackett are more "partners" than coach and players - ProFootballTalk

For years, quarterback Russell Wilson wanted to be treated less like an employee and more like a member of management in Seattle. He never could get that seat at the table.In Denver, he has it. All of the players apparently have it.“It’s the ownership of the players owning our own offense,”...

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

 

[keasley45]

My honest belief as to why the coach chose to go for a 64 yard FG instead of trusting Russ to go for it on 4th and 5 is because of the pressure involved with his contract and the expectations. He didn't want to put Russ in a situation to win the game only to falter. That would have been potentially damaging to the way his teammates and fans perceive him. "Did we blow $250 million on someone who can't win a game for us?"

I do think it was a psychological decision. Had he thrown an incompletion or pick, the fallout could have been massive.

I think the coach and the player were on the same page, 100%

In the moment, both were 'ok' with the FG for exactly the reason you describe.

 

[RiverDog]

I don't agree. Every quarterback dreams about being in a situation like that, to go out and win a game in the waning moments by either scoring a TD or putting their team into very makable FG range. Hackett had to have realized that Russell would have been more upset at not being given a chance vs. getting that chance and failing. IMO Hackett was not aware of the odds of converting on a 4th and 5 (roughly 50%) vs. putting one between the uprights from 60+ (his kicker was 1-4 from that distance), nor was he completely conscious of the fact that he had 2 timeouts left, meaning he had the entire playbook at his disposal along with the fact that they had gained yards in big chunks all night long, to the tune of 400+ yards. He wasn't getting good advice from his assistants.

This was Hackett's first game as a head coach, and he just plain choked. The team was out of sync all night long, getting called for two delay of game penalties in the same drive with multiple other occasions where the offense had to hurry to beat the play clock. Their coaching staff wasn't ready for Prime Time and the head coach was not mentally prepared for the decisions he was going to be called on to make.

 

[chrispy]

RCW had a play, at the line, with plenty of time on the play clock and game clock, and multiple timeouts. He didn't run that play or audible or call timeout for near 30 secs.
Maybe:
He didn't like the D
He realized he was telegraphing plays with his handsignals/audibles
He didn't trust the play and really wanted to create an offsides
He was distracted from crowd noise, weight of the moment...
He had some sort of unknown injury
He was more fearful of sole responsibility of a loss than shared responsibility.

In the end, though, he left the field purposefully having consciously decided to forego the called play. This indicates, without question, RCW believed the game was more likely won with a kick than with him behind center. Regardless of Hackett's role, there's no scenario where he wants to win the game himself, and he still decides not to run that play and determinately leaves the field.