From the sidelines – in sacking Russell Wilson — the Broncos and Denver lost not only a great QB, but very decent and genuine human beings, both he and his family. The fault lies not with Wilson but with Sean Payton and his inability to coach the talent he had at his disposal. And quality talent it was. They should have dumped Payton. The very best to Wilson and his family. Would it not be the height of irony if he lands with a team that knocks Denver out of Super Bowl competition?
Steven Turner, Aurora
Transition to renewables is more than fast enough
Re: “Colorado’s renewable energy transition too slow,” March 2 letter to the editor
I disagree with the letter writer’s opinion that Colorado’s clean energy transition is too slow. I don’t believe the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s data support his argument.
Yes, Iowa produces more wind power than Colorado. It also operates a fleet of coal plants. In November 2023, Iowa’s coal power consumption per capita equaled Colorado’s. In 2022, Iowa’s and Colorado’s power sectors produced roughly the same amount of CO2 emissions, but Colorado has twice the population.
Colorado’s coal plants are slated for shutdown within the next 7 years. Iowa’s are not. The accelerated closures are a direct result of climate policy led by Gov. Polis in 2019. If the letter writer feels that Colorado’s coal transition is “dangerously slow”, he should talk with folks in Moffat County where Craig Station will close within four years, eliminating half the county’s tax base and most of the good-paying jobs.
How about grid reliability? Colorado’s coal-powered generation ends within 7 years. Within that timeframe, our utilities must build and deploy new assets to replace the energy coal supplied, balance out intermittent renewables, reform the grid to handle new sources and connect all that new renewable generation. The letter writer should pitch his faster-faster theory to the utilities that keep our lights on and our EVs charged.
We need clean, reliable energy and healthy economies in rural Colorado. “Move fast and break things” may be a viable strategy for tech start-ups. It’s a dangerous strategy for state-wide energy transition and the economic disruption that can bring.
Russell Wilson is heading to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback has agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Steelers, a person familiar with the details told The Associated Press on Sunday night.
The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract hasn’t been finalized, said Wilson will receive the veteran’s minimum of $1.21 million while the Denver Broncos pay the remainder of his $39 million salary.
Wilson posted his intentions on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying: “Year 13. Grateful. (at)Steelers.”
The 35-year-old Wilson was 11-19 in two seasons with the Broncos after being acquired in a trade from Seattle. He bounced back from a dreadful 2022 season and threw 3,070 yards, 26 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, but still lost his job to Jarrett Stidham after going 7-8 in coach Sean Payton’s first season last year.
Wilson led Seattle to eight playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title in 10 seasons with the Seahawks.
The Steelers lost a wild-card playoff game with Mason Rudolph as their starting quarterback. Rudolph went 3-0 after replacing Kenny Pickett, who was 7-5 before going down with an injury. Mitch Trubisky started the other two games and went 0-2.
Pittsburgh is scheduled to play the Broncos in Denver this upcoming season — and the game could feature a return by Wilson. The NFL is expected to release its league schedule in May.
Last week, the Broncos informed Wilson they’d release him when the new league year begins Wednesday — but gave him permission to speak to other teams.
“We thank Russell for his contributions and dedications to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career,” the team posted on its social media channels last week, adding, “We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”
After signing a nearly quarter-billion dollar extension before playing a down in Denver, Wilson contended the Broncos had threatened to bench him for the final nine games last season if he didn’t push back his $37 million injury guarantee in his contract.
Wilson declined to adjust his deal and started seven more games before getting benched in what Payton insisted was a football move, not a financial one.
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AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed.
Russell Wilson may play at Empower Field in 2024 after all.
It would just be in the black and gold.
Wilson, who has not even been formally released by the Broncos but is set to be later this week, announced Sunday night that he plans to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Multiple outlets have reported that the sides have an agreement on a one-year contract.
Wilson will likely play at the veteran minimum of $1.21 million because he has $39 million in guaranteed salary from Denver for the 2024 season. The Broncos will pay all of that amount except for Wilson’s salary with a new team, so there’s little incentive for the Steelers to pay him more than the minimum.
The Broncos still must actually release Wilson, which they will do sometime between the start of the 2024 NFL league year at 2 p.m. Wednesday and March 17. After they informed Wilson of their intent to release him a week ago, Denver allowed Wilson to begin speaking with other teams as if he were already a free agent.
When they do process his release, Denver will have to account for $85 million in dead salary cap charges over the next two seasons. The Broncos will decide whether to take $35.4 million in 2024 and $49.6 million in 2025 or $53 million in 2024 and $32 million in 2025.
In Pittsburgh, Wilson will play his 13 season for his third team and do so under longtime head coach Mike Tomlin and first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, the former Atlanta head coach. Wilson will compete with former first-round draft pick Kenny Pickett for the starting job.
It’s a long way from the mega trade that brought Wilson to Denver just two years ago and the subsequent five-year, $245 million extension, but Wilson has maintained that he’s motivated and excited for the next chapter of his career regardless of where it materializes. Now, it’s in the Steel City.
Oh, and Pittsburgh visits Denver during the 2024 season, so Wilson will be back on the Front Range, perhaps even as the Steelers’ starting quarterback. The NFL usually announces its schedule in early May.
No doubt that game will be a centerpiece of Denver’s schedule and the NFL’s slate.
Broncos coach Sean Payton filed for divorce from quarterback Russell Wilson on Monday. The only thing to figure out now is who gets custody of Thunder.
I was enjoying my return to The Denver Post, stomach full of lunch and face sore from laughs. Then the phone pinged. Any time there is an alert in early March about an NFL team, it means you’re not going to be home for dinner.
Wilson arrived in Denver in March 2022 determined to make history. This is not what he had in mind. The Broncos will take on an $85 million salary cap hit, divided over two seasons. No team has absorbed this much money for a mistake. As in, ever.
When the Broncos acquired Wilson, he was viewed as a savior — a former Super Bowl champion capable of returning Denver to relevance. Somehow, inexplicably, he made it worse. He won 11 games for roughly $124 million, a return-on-investment cringe not seen since the Rockies shipped off pitcher Mike Hampton in 2002.
It was not all Wilson’s fault, though his decision to reinvent himself as a pocket passer in 2022 under clown show coach Nathaniel Hackett and consistent failings in the red zone this past season left his fingerprints at the scene.
No one quite knows how the Broncos became a quarterback nadir, replacing the Cleveland Browns. Peyton Manning retired, walking into a life of commercials and coaching youth football, and there became a sobering new reality. The Broncos did not know how to find a replacement. John Elway had as much to do with it as anybody when he whiffed on Paxton Lynch, leading to long-armed reaches into the island of misfit toys that included Joe Flacco and Case Keenum. When general manager George Paton took over in 2021, he inherited the mess at the league’s most important position. Watching the Broncos spiral out of playoff contention in the final month, he surveyed the AFC landscape and determined a franchise quarterback was a must.
Tired of shopping for a couch on Craigslist, Paton wandered into IKEA and wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He traded four draft picks (two first-rounders, two second-rounders) and three starters (quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and defensive end Shelby Harris) to Seattle in exchange for Wilson.
The trade now serves as a cautionary tale of desperation. The Broncos gave up everything and ceded all power to Wilson in the relationship. Getting a revised contract was always part of the deal to waive his no-trade clause, though he will never play a down on his five-year, $242.5 million extension.
Wilson was given the green light to bring his entourage into the building and function as a pseudo-coach.
It was an epic failure. With Hackett complicit, Wilson sacrificed a season trying to prove he could run an offense that was designed for Aaron Rodgers, the Broncos’ original 2022 target before he received a new contract from the Green Bay Packers.
At one point in 2022, nobody was neutral in Broncos Country about Wilson. They disliked him. Or hated him.
When the Broncos hired Payton 13 months ago, he made it clear he was not married to the quarterback. He would give it a season. It only took 15 games and he went to Jarrett. Stidham, that is. He became the 13th starter since Super Bowl 50 and was as underwhelming as those before him.
It is important to remember Payton was not brought here to fix Wilson. He was brought here to fix the Broncos. That could not happen, he decided, with Wilson. The Broncos offense stank in the red zone and specifically in goal-to-goal situations. While Payton was rather ordinary on game day in his return after a one-year hiatus, he laid the blame on Wilson.
Russ went off script. He failed to call plays quickly enough. He forgot to send players in motion.
Payton, however, did the impossible and made Wilson a sympathetic figure when he benched him as it leaked out that the Broncos asked Wilson to adjust his contract during the bye week last October. Wilson’s $37 million in base salary in 2025 would have become guaranteed if he had remained on the roster past March 17. Denver wanted to move the date back. Wilson balked and explained in December that it was then that a benching was first broached. I don’t blame the Broncos for asking for relief, nor do I blame Wilson for refusing. The relationship was fraying at the seams.
When the season ended, Wilson held a morsel of hope that things could work out as the team publicly kept the door slightly ajar.
Wilson reached out to me last week, saying he “forever wished it was going (to happen) in Denver. I really wanted to win there.” His first year was a lost season for several reasons, including injuries — hamstring, shoulder, concussion. But he believed he played well last season, posting 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He was “grateful for long-lasting relationships,” but acknowledged it was time to move on from a “sad and disappointing” ending.
No one will ever question Wilson’s work ethic or passion. He was better, but not in the eyes of the one person who mattered.
Payton wants to run his offense — steeped in timing, execution and the ball coming out from the pocket. Scribbling outside the lines — Wilson’s strength — is not sustainable for the coach.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, center, stands between Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3), left, and Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (4), right, as the team comes out of the visiting tunnel before the game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Jan. 7, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders took on Denver Broncos during week 18 of NFL season. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)
Under normal circumstances, the GM would be fired for the Wilson acquisition and contract. Owner Greg Penner views the situation differently. Paton was working without ownership when the deal was struck, and the new owners signed off on the contract extension. And for now, Penner likes how Payton and Paton work together.
In the end, Payton’s legacy, if not his express lane to Canton, hinges on this next move. The onus is on him. He has never let anything interfere with winning. Wilson didn’t take. Payton moved on. He believes he and his staff can find the right quarterback, that they will be better at it than most. In eight years, the Broncos’ caliber of play at the position has gone from Hall of Fame to Hall of Meme.
Payton pulled off the Band-Aid and lost zero winks of sleep.
So it is, Wilson’s last day is my first day at The Post. Let’s write.
DENVER — Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said he would love to come back to Denver and win a Super Bowl with the Broncos. Wilson appeared on the “I Am Athlete” podcast and YouTube show, hosted by former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall. Marshall asked Wilson about his future and where he would like to play next season.
“I hope it’s in Denver. I want to finish there,” Wilson told him. “I committed there and I want to be there. I love the city and everything else. I’ve got amazing teammates. But for me, it’s about winning.”
Marshall asked Wilson if he could go back and play with coach Sean Payton again. Wilson responded with a yes. Marshall then asked Wilson about his home, and if it will be sold.
“My house ain’t for sale,” Wilson responded. “It’s not on the market. People think I’m out of there, and maybe I am, but I’d love to go back.”
The 35-year-old quarterback said he’s “got more fire than ever” and want to win two Super Bowls in the next five years. Wilson said he hasn’t thought about where else he would like to play, but he would want to go to a team that has a chance to win.
The Broncos are expected to release Wilson before March 17, when his $37 million salary for 2025 would become fully guaranteed. When they release him, the Broncos will be on the hook for about $85 million in dead money against the salary cap for the next two years.
Where is Wilson most likely to go if he hits the free agent market? Lionel and Troy break it down:
The Broncos will likely cut Russell Wilson. Where could he go next?
Russell Wilson reiterated that he hopes to return to the Broncos in 2024 but doesn’t know whether that will happen during a podcast with former Denver wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
Over more than 80 minutes on Marshall’s “I Am Athlete” podcast, the pair talked extensively about Wilson’s career, marriage, family and much more but they also briefly got down to brass tacks about Wilson’s current limbo with Denver.
“For me it’s about winning. In the next five years I want to win two (Super Bowls),” Wilson said. “I want to feel the chill of that trophy again. So yeah, I want to go back to Denver. I hope I get to go back. I’d love to go back, to be honest with you. I’ve got amazing teammates.”
Wilson, though, acknowledged he doesn’t know if that will happen. Marshall tried to get him to talk about other potential destinations, but the veteran quarterback didn’t bite.
“I honestly haven’t really thought about it. I’m still in Denver,” he said, later adding, “If it’s not there, though, I’d go to a place where we can win again.”
Asked if Wilson could play again for Broncos head coach Sean Payton after their first season together, he said flatly, “Yeah.”
Most in the NFL expect, though, that Denver will release or, far less likely, find a trade partner to jettison Wilson before March 17, when $37 million in 2025 base salary would become guaranteed.
The podcast went live Sunday night, perhaps not coincidentally, just before the NFL descends on Indianapolis for this week’s Scouting Combine. It’s a time on the calendar when a lot of business gets done and a lot of groundwork for future moves is put into place. Payton and general manager George Paton are slated to speak Tuesday morning and now Wilson’s put his stance on the record ahead of time.
“My house ain’t for sale. It’s not for sale,” Wilson said before tempering that a bit.
“It’s not on the market right now.”
Either way, he said he feels like he bounced back from a poor 2022 season and is planning on playing at a high level well into the future.
“People think I’m out of there. Maybe I am, but no matter what I’d love to go back,” he said. “I committed. There. I committed to be there. I want to win more Super Bowls there. I love the city and everything else, but you also want to be at a place that wants you, too.”
Wilson and Marshall also revisited the bye week conversations between his agent, Mark Rodgers, Paton and Broncos vice president of football administration Rich Hurtado that led to acrimony over the potential that Wilson would be benched for up to the team’s final nine games.
He talked for the first time about telling Courtland Sutton – but nobody else in the locker room – about the situation shortly after the Broncos won at Buffalo in Week 10 and a meeting he had with Payton after the bye week.
“I get back on Monday, I still don’t know necessarily what’s going to happen, and on that Monday that’s when I meet with Sean,” he said. “And Sean said, ‘Hey, treat it like nothing happened. You’re going to play this week, we’ve got a big game this week against Buffalo. We’ve got to go win on Monday Night Football.”
Wilson ultimately started seven games after Denver’s bye before Payton benched him for Jarrett Stidham for the final two games of the season.
Wilson wasn’t part of the conversations directly during the bye week, but said Sunday night that the NFL told the Broncos their negotiating stance, “is illegal. You can’t do this.” However, league sources have maintained – and reiterated Sunday night – that the NFL never told the Broncos they were out of line. The only assertion of that came from an outside counsel retained by the NFL Players Association, which was outlined in a letter reported on in January by the Washington Post.
The most expensive home ever sold in the Denver area is quietly being shopped around.
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and singer-songwriter wife Ciara are accepting offers, and providing tours to prospective buyers, for the mansion they own in Cherry Hills Village, sources tell BusinessDen.
The couple did not respond to requests for comment made through their foundation.
The couple paid $25 million for the home on Cherry Hills Park Drive in April 2022, weeks after Wilson was traded to the Broncos by the Seattle Seahawks. At the time, the previous record for a Denver-area home sale was $16 million.
The 20,000-square-foot home on 5 acres has four bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, plus his-and-hers walk-in closets, offices and bathroom suites, according to a previous listing of the property. There’s also a 2,590-square-foot indoor swimming pool, a basketball court and a guest apartment with its own kitchen.
But Wilson’s tenure with the Broncos has been rocky. In August 2022, before Wilson had played a game for the Broncos, the team extended Wilson’s contract through 2028. But the team went 5-12 in his first season, improving somewhat to 8-9 this past season.
Head Coach Sean Payton benched Wilson for the final two games of the season, saying he hoped the change would spark the team’s offense. But the move was widely seen as an effort to ensure Wilson didn’t get injured, because NFL teams cannot cut injured players and Wilson’s $37 million salary for 2025 becomes guaranteed if he’s on the team’s roster on March 17 of this year, according to the Denver Post.
Payton recently said in a radio interview that a decision on Wilson’s future with the Broncos will happen “sooner than later.”
This story was reported by our partner BusinessDen.
BEAVERTON, OR—As part of the brand’s renewed effort to appeal to the average consumer, Nike rolled out an empowering new ad Thursday challenging viewers to just try getting up from the fetal position. “Come on, pal, you can do it,” said tennis star Serena Williams who, along with football quarterback Russell Wilson, basketball player Kevin Durant, and golfer Nelly Korda, is featured in the ad campaign encouraging viewers to stop clutching their legs and instead attempt to stand up. “Don’t be afraid. You don’t have to run, or jump, or do anything too hard. Really, just sitting up is enough. You’re stronger than you think. Maybe try getting on your hands and knees and crawling out of your bedroom. Turn on the light or open a window. With Nike’s breathable fabrics, you can feel confident that you can expose yourself to the outside world without dying. We promise.” Nike also touted the release of a new polyester emesis bag that customers can dry-heave into if they get too overwhelmed.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Sean Payton is bringing an old-school style sown by his mentor Bill Parcells and steeped in discipline and accountability as he takes over as the Denver Broncos’ new head coach.
One thing that means is that Russell Wilson will no longer have his own entourage at the team’s headquarters as he did this past season.
Payton was introduced as the franchise’s 20th head coach Monday and he was asked in an informal gathering with reporters afterward about Wilson’s personal QB coach being on the premises in 2022, when Wilson suffered through the worst statistical season of his career.
“Yeah, that’s foreign to me,” Payton said. “That’s not going to take place here. I mean, I’m unfamiliar with it. But our staff will be here, our players will be here and that’ll be that.”
Members of Wilson’s support team having access to the building was one of many perks allowed the quarterback last season by general manager George Payton and rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who was fired Dec. 26.
Given Payton’s stance on that matter, Wilson might also have to surrender his extra parking spaces and private upstairs office.
We also could see less of his globetrotting jaunts on social media and maybe his teammates will have to make do without the air hockey and gaming chairs that were part of Hackett’s conversion of the reporters’ workroom into a splashy players arcade a year ago.
The new head coach is all business, concerned not with creature comforts but about changing a losing culture that has permeated the franchise.
The Broncos surrendered their first-round pick, No. 29 overall, in the upcoming draft to the New Orleans Saints in order to sign Payton to a five-year deal worth around $18 million a year.
Payton has some unfinished business at his old job in broadcasting before diving into the task of turning around a franchise that has floundered under first-time head coaches Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio and Hackett during a seven-year playoff drought.
Payton said he’ll work the Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs in his final week as an analyst on Fox NFL Kickoff.
“I’m picking the Eagles,” Payton said. “We never want anyone in our division to win anything, right?”
Payton made a point of not piling on the former regime, but he did have this to say when asked about his game management skills: “I don’t anticipate the crowd having to count down the 30-second clock” as it did in Hackett’s home debut.
Fans mocking counting down the seconds led Paton to lure longtime assistant Jerry Rosburg out of retirement to handle those duties for Hackett, who also gave up play-calling duties later in the season.
Rosburg coached the final two games after Hackett’s dismissal when Wilson finally played like the nine-time Pro Bowler he is, something Payton mentioned Monday when asked about helping Wilson bounce back in 2023.
“I think the No. 1 job for us as coaches in evaluating our players is what are the things that they do really well and then let’s try to put them in those positions. At least that’s a starting point, and I think it’s important to highlight their strengths and minimize any weaknesses,” Payton said.
“None of us want to be at a karaoke bar with a song we don’t know the words to,” Payton said. “So, how do we get them comfortable and highlight their strengths? And that’s the process that’s going to begin right now as I’m learning about every one of these players, not just Russell.”
Payton invoked Parcells’ “law and order” mantra when talking about his coaching philosophies.
“You come in with your standards but you’re not coming in indicting anyone else’s,” Payton said. “… You really knock the rearview mirror off the automobile. We’re just looking forward.”
Payton went 161-97, including playoffs, in 15 seasons in New Orleans before stepping down last year when Drew Brees retired. He took over a moribund Saints team that had gone 3-13 in 2005 and led them to a 10-6 record and an appearance in the NFC championship game in his first season with the Saints.
As to whether a similar turnaround can be expected in Denver, Payton said, “I think it’s realistic for our fanbase to expect a completely different type of culture. And I think it’s realistic for them to expect us to win.”
To what degree, who knows?
“I know this: the work has started,” Payton said. “I kind of use this term, you know, a little bit more anonymous donors this season. Just know that we’re working. But a little bit less visibility on social media and all those other things. We’re going to get to work. And ultimately, it’s how we do in the fall.”
CEO and co-owner Greg Penner, who led the Broncos’ head coaching search that included eight candidates, said when he asked around the league about Payton, attention to detail was one attribute that kept coming up.
To that end, Payton, who also interviewed for the openings with the Texans, Panthers and Cardinals, acknowledged that his wearing an orange tie on television recently was by design.
“Like this pocket tissue I’m wearing right now has an angle going upwards if you can see it,” Payton said. “And so this morning when I put it on, that’s kind of symbolic about the direction we’re heading.”
Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers led comeback wins and the Los Angeles Rams dominated Russell Wilson and the Broncos.
It was a triumphant Christmas for the Buccaneers, Packers and Rams as many figured it would be when the schedule was released in May. The NFC’s top three preseason Super Bowl favorites were expected to be jockeying for playoff positioning Sunday.
Instead, the Rams (5-10) are trying to avoid the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Packers (7-8) need help just to make the playoffs. The Buccaneers (7-8) lead the dreadful NFC South with a first-place showdown coming up against Carolina.
While the NFC is upside down, the AFC has lived up to expectations. The Buffalo Bills (12-3) and Kansas City Chiefs (12-3) entered the season as the top two Super Bowl favorites and they are 1-2 in the race for the No. 1 seed. The defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) are third with a chance to move up when they host the Bills next Monday night.
Brady rallied Tampa Bay from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to a 19-16 overtime victory at Arizona following another poor offensive performance. The 45-year-old, seven-time Super Bowl champion threw two picks for the third straight game, the offense had no rhythm until it went into hurry-up mode late and the depleted offensive line lost another key player.
The Buccaneers would clinch the division title with a win over the Panthers (6-9) on New Year’s Day. They’d earn the No. 4 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage in a wild-card game with the most likely opponent being the Dallas Cowboys (11-4).
The Bucs opened the season with a 19-3 win in Dallas. These are two different teams now. If Brady and the Bucs play the way they have for most of the season, the Cowboys will beat them by double digits.
Brady doesn’t seem to trust his offensive line, so he’s getting rid of the ball at a faster pace than he ever has, and he appears to lack confidence in his receivers at times.
The offense has been out of sync all season and is averaging fewer than 18 points. But the defense has stepped up and Brady has engineered three comeback wins in the last seven games.
The Buccaneers had a lower seed in 2020 and had to win three road games in the playoffs on their way to a Super Bowl title in Brady’s first season in Tampa Bay. That offense was dynamic, averaging more than 30 points per game.
They’ll need to play far better than they’ve shown to have a shot at winning a playoff game.
Rodgers and the Packers were headed toward elimination a few weeks ago after a 4-8 start. But they’ve won three straight games and now can make the playoffs with two more wins plus a loss by Washington (7-7-1) or two losses by the Giants (8-6-1).
Green Bay trailed Miami 20-10 in the second quarter on Sunday before outscoring the Dolphins 16-0 the rest of the way. The defense picked Tua Tagovailoa three times in the fourth quarter to help secure the 26-20 upset on the road.
The Packers haven’t resembled the team that won 13 games in each of the three previous seasons. But they’re starting to come together down the stretch.
In 2010 when Rodgers won his only Super Bowl, the Packers made the playoffs as the sixth and final seed in the NFC. They host the Vikings (12-3) and Lions (7-8) in the final two games with a chance to sneak in.
The Rams already have been knocked out of the playoff race, but Baker Mayfield has made them interesting. He was excellent in a 51-14 win against Denver, completing 24 of 28 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Mayfield has led Los Angeles to two victories in three games since he joined the team two days before leading a comeback win over Las Vegas on Dec. 8.
The Rams, Buccaneers and Packers each won in the same week for only the second time this season and the first since Week 2.
Despite their struggles, Brady and Rodgers still have a shot. Don’t count them out until they’re eliminated.
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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday with two games left in the season.
Owner and CEO Greg Penner said he’ll lead the search for a new coach with assistance from GM George Paton, in whom he expressed confidence while announcing Hackett’s dismissal.
Firing Hackett with two games left in a lost season allows Penner to begin his search for a replacement immediately.
The Broncos scheduled a news conference for Tuesday, when they’re expected to name their interim head coach for games at Kansas City next weekend and at home against the Chargers in Week 18.
The Walton-Penner group purchased the Broncos for $4.65 billion last summer, a global record for a professional sports franchise, and Rob Walton said after the league’s approval that he aimed to make the Broncos perennial championship contenders again.
On Sunday, the Broncos (4-11) were blown out by the equally downtrodden Los Angeles Rams 51-14 when Russell Wilson threw three interceptions and was sacked six times. The game featured a sideline spat between backup QB Brett Rypien and guard Dalton Risner, and pass rusher Randy Gregory threw a punch at a Rams player after the game.
In a statement Monday, Penner thanked Hackett for his dedication but said that “following extensive conversations with George and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos. This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.”
Penner said that “moving forward, we will carefully evaluate every aspect of our football operations and make whatever changes are necessary to restore this franchise’s winning tradition.”
Hackett replaced Vic Fangio last January but hasn’t been able to build an offense suitable to Wilson, who recently turned 34.
Hackett is the third NFL head coach fired during the 2022 season. The Carolina Panthers replaced Matt Rhule with interim head coach Steve Wilks and the Indianapolis Colts fired Frank Reich and replaced him with coaching novice Jeff Saturday.
Many fans thought the Broncos hired Hackett away from the Green Bay Packers, where he was offensive coordinator, to help them land quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But Rodgers decided to re-up with the Packers and the Broncos instead traded for Wilson, who was seen as still in his prime.
Wilson, however, has had an awful first season in Denver after the Broncos sent four premium draft picks and three players to Seattle for the nine-time Pro Bowler. Wilson has 12 touchdown passes with nine interceptions and 49 sacks in 13 starts and has been unable to snap out of a season-long funk.
He is 3-10 as Denver’s starter and has missed games with a pulled hamstring and a concussion.
He routinely has ignored open receivers underneath to try for deep throws and he has shown a noticeable dip in his ability to escape from pass rushers this season.
The Broncos have missed the playoffs seven straight seasons and extended their string of losing records to six.
They will try to snap a 14-game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and beat Patrick Mahomes for the first time in 11 tries.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL
Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers led comeback wins and the Los Angeles Rams dominated Russell Wilson and the Broncos.
It was a triumphant Christmas for the Buccaneers, Packers and Rams as many figured it would be when the schedule was released in May. The NFC’s top three preseason Super Bowl favorites were expected to be jockeying for playoff positioning Sunday.
Instead, the Rams (5-10) are trying to avoid the most losses by a defending Super Bowl champion. The Packers (7-8) need help just to make the playoffs. The Buccaneers (7-8) lead the dreadful NFC South with a first-place showdown coming up against Carolina.
While the NFC is upside down, the AFC has lived up to expectations. The Buffalo Bills (12-3) and Kansas City Chiefs (12-3) entered the season as the top two Super Bowl favorites and they are 1-2 in the race for the No. 1 seed. The defending AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) are third with a chance to move up when they host the Bills next Monday night.
Brady rallied Tampa Bay from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to a 19-16 overtime victory at Arizona following another poor offensive performance. The 45-year-old, seven-time Super Bowl champion threw two picks for the third straight game, the offense had no rhythm until it went into hurry-up mode late and the depleted offensive line lost another key player.
The Buccaneers would clinch the division title with a win over the Panthers (6-9) on New Year’s Day. They’d earn the No. 4 seed in the NFC and home-field advantage in a wild-card game with the most likely opponent being the Dallas Cowboys (11-4).
The Bucs opened the season with a 19-3 win in Dallas. These are two different teams now. If Brady and the Bucs play the way they have for most of the season, the Cowboys will beat them by double digits.
Brady doesn’t seem to trust his offensive line, so he’s getting rid of the ball at a faster pace than he ever has, and he appears to lack confidence in his receivers at times.
The offense has been out of sync all season and is averaging fewer than 18 points. But the defense has stepped up and Brady has engineered three comeback wins in the last seven games.
The Buccaneers had a lower seed in 2020 and had to win three road games in the playoffs on their way to a Super Bowl title in Brady’s first season in Tampa Bay. That offense was dynamic, averaging more than 30 points per game.
They’ll need to play far better than they’ve shown to have a shot at winning a playoff game.
Rodgers and the Packers were headed toward elimination a few weeks ago after a 4-8 start. But they’ve won three straight games and now can make the playoffs with two more wins plus a loss by Washington (7-7-1) or two losses by the Giants (8-6-1).
Green Bay trailed Miami 20-10 in the second quarter on Sunday before outscoring the Dolphins 16-0 the rest of the way. The defense picked Tua Tagovailoa three times in the fourth quarter to help secure the 26-20 upset on the road.
The Packers haven’t resembled the team that won 13 games in each of the three previous seasons. But they’re starting to come together down the stretch.
In 2010 when Rodgers won his only Super Bowl, the Packers made the playoffs as the sixth and final seed in the NFC. They host the Vikings (12-3) and Lions (7-8) in the final two games with a chance to sneak in.
The Rams already have been knocked out of the playoff race, but Baker Mayfield has made them interesting. He was excellent in a 51-14 win against Denver, completing 24 of 28 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Mayfield has led Los Angeles to two victories in three games since he joined the team two days before leading a comeback win over Las Vegas on Dec. 8.
The Rams, Buccaneers and Packers each won in the same week for only the second time this season and the first since Week 2.
Despite their struggles, Brady and Rodgers still have a shot. Don’t count them out until they’re eliminated.
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INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee, Cam Akers rushed for 118 yards and three more scores, and the Los Angeles Rams routed the Denver Broncos 51-14 Sunday for their second victory since mid-October.
Mayfield went 24 of 28 for 230 yards in another standout performance for his second win in three starts with the Rams (5-10), who produced the best game of their dismal season on Christmas.
Rookie Cobie Durant returned his second interception 85 yards for a touchdown with 4:08 left to cap the Rams’ first 50-point performance under Sean McVay since their famed 54-51 victory over Kansas City in 2018.
For at least one more week, Los Angeles avoided becoming the first defending Super Bowl champion to lose 11 games. Even with the NFL’s 32nd-ranked offense coming in, Los Angeles became just the second team to score 50 points in the NFL this season, joining Dallas earlier this month, and put together a comprehensively dominant performance.
In his Los Angeles debut, Larrell Murchison made 2 1/2 of the Rams’ six sacks of Russell Wilson, who passed for 214 yards with three interceptions for Denver (4-11).
The beleaguered Wilson was not sharp in his return from a one-game absence with a concussion, throwing interceptions to end Denver’s first two drives. The second pick was by Bobby Wagner, who faced his longtime teammate and friend for the first time after spending a full decade together in Seattle.
Wagner also sacked Wilson during the first half, when the Rams improbably racked up 261 of their 388 yards before halftime and eventually scored on their first eight drives against Denver’s above-average defense, already matching their full-game season high in points with their 31-6 halftime lead.
Denver trailed 41-6 before Wilson hit Greg Dulcich for the Broncos’ only touchdown with 8:30 to play.
Akers continued his late-season surge by producing the Rams’ first 100-yard rushing game of the season, while Higbee led the passing attack with 94 yards receiving for an offense missing its top three wideouts due to injury.
The Rams led by double digits less than nine minutes in when Durant picked off Wilson’s second pass and Mayfield hit Higbee for a 9-yard TD three plays later. Higbee became the Rams’ career franchise leader in touchdown catches by a tight end with his 19th score.
Wagner then poached a pass from Wilson across the middle of the field and made a long return, and the Rams scored two snaps later on Akers’ 3-yard run. Los Angeles had scored just one touchdown off a takeaway all season long before doing it twice more in the first quarter.
The Rams’ 17-point first quarter was their highest-scoring opening period since Week 6 of McVay’s first season in 2017. They subsequently scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives for the first time in McVay’s tenure.
Higbee made his second TD catch early in the second quarter after a smooth 75-yard drive by the Rams’ long-struggling offense. Akers then punched it in again 1:06 before halftime for a 31-3 lead.
Ramsey picked off Wilson’s long heave to the end zone on Denver’s opening drive of the second half. The Rams’ pressure on Wilson improbably was led by Murchison, who signed with LA 13 days ago after Tennessee cut him.
INJURIES
Murchison left in the fourth quarter with a neck injury. … Dulcich was ruled out with a hamstring injury late in the fourth quarter.
UP NEXT
Broncos: At Chiefs on Sunday.
Rams: “At” Chargers on Sunday.
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Derrick Henry was a bit amused by the premise of a question talking about the importance of passing in the modern NFL.
“Is it a passing league?” he said jokingly. “I’m playing. But we (have) guys in the league that are running the ball well, that are efficient and been playing at a high level for an amount of years. So just credit to our RBs in the game. Just keep killing it.”
Henry and his running back friends have been doing just that through the first half of the season with a big assist from a young generation of running quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson and Justin Fields.
While the big paydays and much of the attention goes to quarterbacks, receivers and other players who impact the passing game either by blocking or defending, there has been a bit of a renaissance when it comes to running the .
With defenses keeping two safeties deep and playing with fewer defenders near the line of scrimmage to guard against the big play, and offenses more willing to take advantage of that, running the ball is having its biggest success in decades.
Through the first nine weeks of the season, teams are combining for 241.4 yards rushing per game for the highest mark at this point of the season since 1987 when the league used replacements players for three games.
The previous time it happened with real NFL players the entire time was in 1985 when Walter Payton, Marcus Allen and Eric Dickerson were among the game’s biggest stars.
“It feels like there is a little bit of a change around the league where teams really are making a big emphasis and focus to run the ,” Seattle defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt said.
There are five teams averaging at least 150 yards a game on the ground — one more than did it in the past three seasons combined.
The Giants have used their success on the ground to be one of the league’s biggest surprises with six wins already on the strength of a healthy season from Saquon Barkley and using quarterback Daniel Jones in the running game.
Atlanta has remained in contention in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year by capitalizing on the mobility of quarterback Marcus Mariota and backs such as Cordarrelle Patterson.
“People know we want to run the ,” coach Arthur Smith said. “That’s what fires you up, and it won’t be that way every week. We’re going to have a challenge. We know how competitive it is. But when you can run the ball, when they know you’re going to run it, that speaks volumes about your guys.”
Even teams that have dynamic options in the passing game have been using the run to great success to take advantage of how defenses play these days.
The struggling Raiders had their biggest success offensively this season during a three-game stretch when Josh Jacobs rushed for 441 yards against defenses geared to stop Davante Adams.
“You’ve got to be able to function and execute against whatever they do,” coach Josh McDaniels said. “If they’re going to try to protect the deep part of the field and not give up a bunch of big plays, I think that comes back down to execution and discipline for us. I mean, if you have to drive it 10 to 12 plays to score, then you’re going to need to be able to be disciplined enough to do that.”
Perhaps no team has had as much success on the ground as the Bears, who have gotten a big spark on offense when they seemed to ditch the passing game and focus the offense around Fields and his ability to run.
Chicago is averaging 195.4 yards per game on the ground, putting the Bears on pace for 3,322 yards — 26 more than the single-season record set in a 16-game season by Baltimore in 2019.
But the Bears are averaging 243 yards rushing the past four games — becoming the second in NFL history to rush for at least 235 yards in four straight games. That feat was last accomplished by the 1949 Eagles when the sport barely resembled the modern version that took over when rules made passing easier in 1978.
“I think we are just really maximizing our strengths and minimizes our weaknesses right now,” coach Matt Eberflus said.
Fields set an NFL regular-season record when he ran for 178 yards last week against Miami, including an electrifying 61-yard touchdown.
That was part of a record-setting week for quarterbacks, whose combined 801 yards rushing last week were the most ever in a week for the position. The 5,132 yards rushing by QBs are the most ever through nine weeks led by Jackson (635) and Fields (602).
“He’s as fast as any skill position runner,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said after facing Fields. “Like he is really, really fast and he can cut and break tackles. There are a lot of running quarterbacks. This one in particular I think is very elite and adept at that.”
While watching Fields run through his defense exasperated McDaniels, who even begged him to stop to no avail, the success on the ground has brought joy to other coaches.
Perhaps none more than Seattle’s Pete Carroll, who endured criticism in recent years for not letting Russell Wilson pass more, but now has the top team in the NFC West thanks in part to rookie running back Kenneth Walker III and an offensive approach that suits Carroll’s style.
“It’s always been important, it’s just been that other things drew the attention of the following and the media,” he said. “It was never of less significance because that’s how the game works.”
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Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa shouldn’t hear about their teams pursuing other quarterbacks anymore.
The former Alabama teammates continued their MVP-caliber seasons with spectacular performances Sunday. They’ve silenced critics who questioned their ability to be franchise quarterbacks and are setting themselves up for huge contract extensions in the offseason.
Geno Smith is another QB who has proved people wrong this season. A full-time starter for the first time since 2014, the 32-year-old Smith has the surprising Seahawks (5-3) leading the NFC West.
Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles are off to a 7-0 start following a 35-13 rout of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tagovailoa again rallied Miami from a double-digit, second-half deficit in a 31-27 victory over the Detroit Lions. The Dolphins (5-3) are undefeated in the five games Tagovailoa has finished. He missed 2 1/2 games with a concussion.
Hurts threw four touchdown passes of 25-plus yards against the Steelers, including three to A.J. Brown in the first half. He has 1,514 yards passing and 10 TDs with only two interceptions. Hurts also has run for 293 yards and three scores.
The biggest question mark surrounding the Eagles entering the season centered on Hurts. They made the playoffs last year mainly because they had the best rushing offense in the NFL with Hurts leading the way. They were blown out by the Buccaneers in a wild-card game and knew they needed to improve their passing attack to compete for a championship.
The team considered trading for a quarterback in an offseason that saw Russell Wilson, Deshaun Watson and several other big-name QBs switch uniforms. But Philly stuck with Hurts for another season and the third-year pro has been outstanding.
He still hasn’t even reached his potential.
“Jalen is the type of guy that’s going to continue to get better because of the type of person he is, the type of football IQ he has, the football character he has, the toughness he has, how much he loves football,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “I was always taught those are the types of guys that reach their ceiling. I don’t know if we know what his ceiling will be. I know this: He’s getting better every day and he’s committed to that. That’s a good thing for the rest of your team when your best players and captain is getting better every day.”
Hurts is also a bargain. A second-round pick in 2020 who replaced Carson Wentz as the starter late in that season, Hurts is making $1.6 million. A total of 53 QBs make more.
“He’s not focused on what his next contract might be or what we’re going to do in three weeks or what the outcome of this season is or anything like that,” Sirianni said.
Just don’t ask Hurts to talk about himself.
“People don’t see the work that’s put in, not just by me individually but. … by everybody,” Hurts said. “It takes work. It’s a grind. The beautiful thing about this team is that we’ve grinded together.”
Hurts led Alabama to the national championship game as a true freshman in 2016 only to lose to Clemson. He took them back to the national title game against Georgia the following season but was benched at halftime and watched Tagovailoa lead a comeback win. Hurts transferred to Oklahoma for his senior season and finished runnerup to Joe Burrow for the Heisman Trophy.
Now, he’s the man in Philly.
Tagovailoa left Alabama after suffering a serious hip injury during his junior season, was drafted by the Dolphins fifth overall in 2020 and went 13-8 in his first two seasons. Still, there’s been plenty of doubt about his future in Miami.
The Dolphins pursued Watson before the 2021 trade deadline and were penalized for tampering with Tom Brady after the season. Left with Tagovailoa, they surrounded him with more talent, acquiring star receiver Tyreek Hill in a blockbuster trade to team with Jaylen Waddle.
Hill has been dynamic, helping Tagovailoa take his game to another level. Despite battling injuries and a concussion, Tagovailoa has 1,678 yards passing, 12 TDs, only three picks and a passer rating of 112.7.
Tagovailoa was sensational against the Lions on Sunday, completing 29 of 36 for 382 yards and three TDs.
“That was a game that we all know he’s capable of,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “He was relentless during the game with worrying about the right stuff. I didn’t see him press and make forced decisions. He took what was there and protected the ball while being aggressive.”
Like Hurts, he’s not satisfied.
“The greatest thing about this game is that you can never get content,” Tagovailoa said. “You have to continue to keep growing. We’ll go and watch the film and look at things that we could’ve done better. So, that’s the best part about it.”
Smith tossed two TD passes and played another error-free game for Seattle in a 27-13 win over the New York Giants.
Playing for his fourth team, Smith was considered a placeholder for the rebuilding Seahawks until the team finds a franchise QB. So far, he’s outplayed the superstar he replaced — Wilson — and has resurrected his career after starting only five game in the previous six seasons.
Smith has thrown for 1,924 yards with a 72.3 completion percentage, 13 TDs and just three interceptions for a 107.2 passer rating.
“He’s the real deal,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “There’s no mystery he’s going to run out of gas or something. It’s not like that. He knows exactly what he’s doing and he shows you week in and week out, throw after throw after throw. There’s nothing for us to hold him but in the highest of expectations really. What a thrilling story for the kid. He just hung in there so tough and outlasted it, and now he’s enjoying all the fun of it. He did great.”
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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter at https://twitter.com/robmaaddi
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Trading Bradley Chubb or any of the Denver Broncos’ key players at the deadline would send the … [+] message of a rebuild. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Denver Post via Getty Images
Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett has bought himself some time — for now.
Following the Broncos’ Week 8 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars — their first since Week 3 when they defeated the San Francisco 49ers — Denver is feeling somewhat better about themselves.
A lot of the same issues are still there. The robust amount of penalties. The head-scratching turnovers. The fact that Hackett still doesn’t appear to be ready to be leading the Broncos’ sideline.
But Denver showed some fight in their win over the Jaguars. In fact, Denver was trailed 17-14 late in the fourth quarter when Russell Wilson and the Broncos made some clutch plays. Heck, the offense — the league’s worst — somehow went 3-for-3 in the red zone when it comes to scoring touchdowns.
And while the Broncos may still sport a mediocre 3-5 record heading into their bye in Week 9, that means one big thing — Denver can’t be sellers at the trade deadline.
Heading into their Week 8 matchup versus the Jaguars, the Broncos were presumed to be sellers at the trade deadline — especially if they lost. In fact, if they had lost, it wouldn’t have shocked anyone if Denver fired Hackett on the plane ride back home to Colorado.
Names such as Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler and Bradley Chubb were popular names thrown out there in trade rumors.
You can shut those rumors down— for now.
Prior to the game, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Broncos were not planning on trading either of their receivers.
“Although they are fielding trade inquiries on Chubb, the Broncos do not plan to trade Jerry Jeudy or KJ Hamler despite getting calls on the third-year wide receivers, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking,” said Schefter.
Schefter stressed that it would take a “strong offer” for Denver to trade away their top two young receivers.
“The Broncos, who play Sunday in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars, instead want to use Jeudy and Hamler to revive their struggling offense, the sources told ESPN,” said Schefter. “Denver could ultimately still trade one of the receivers by Tuesday, but it only would be for what the team believed to be a strong offer, according to sources.”
The one player who possibly could be moved is Chubb, Denver’s top pass-rushing specialist. As Schefter noted, one team is willing to offer the Broncos a first-round draft pick. Chubb could also command more compensation that what Denver fetched from the Los Angeles Rams — second and third-round picks — in the Von Miller trade last season.
Furthermore, Chubb is the final year of his rookie deal and is expected to command a contract worth at least $20 million annually. If he’s not moved by the deadline, the Broncos are expected to keep him on a long-term deal.
As enticing as a first-round pick may be for Chubb — especially considering Denver doesn’t hold one for the 2023 NFL draft due to the Russell Wilson trade — now isn’t the time to trade a key figure of Denver’s No. 3-ranked defense.
If you trade Chubb now — or any of Denver’s other key players — for draft capital, you’re sending the signal that the win over Jacksonville means nothing. Most importantly, you’re sending the message that you’re waving the white flag on this season.
As Mark Kizla of The Denver Post notes, trading Chubb — the cornerstone of the defense that is keeping the Broncos afloat — would send Denver into a rebuilding project.
The Broncos would also waste a valuable season after signing Wilson to a $245 million contract extension.
“Trading Chubb would not only be waving the white flag it would send a signal to Wilson that he signed a $245 million contract extension to lead a rebuilding project,” said Kizla.
Since winning Super Bowl 50, this franchise has been on a downward spiral. They’ve gone six consecutive years without clinching a postseason berth — a record for a team after winning a Super Bowl. They can ill-afford another rebuild of a season just weeks after signing Wilson to such a big contract with high expectations.
The Broncos may not make it to the postseason this year. They face a tough slate over their nine remaining games, with five of those against teams with winning records.
But you have to give this team a chance. Let this team go down swinging with its best players.
Retaining Chubb ensures that the Broncos are indeed all-in on this season and not looking ahead towards the future.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, who has been a limited participant in practice this week because of a hamstring injury, is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at Empower Field at Mile High, as coach Nathaniel Hackett called Wilson’s status a “game-time” decision.
“He’s day-to-day at this point,” Hackett said after Friday’s practice at the team’s suburban Denver complex “… We can always adjust anything [in the game plan] to make sure we’ve got the best scenario out there; we just want to be sure that he can protect himself, that’s probably the most important thing.”
Backup quarterback Brett Rypien has taken a significant number of the snaps with the starting offense throughout the week, including in Friday’s practice, and would start if Wilson does not play. The 26-year-old Rypien has spent the previous three seasons on either the Broncos’ roster or practice squad before he won the backup job in this year’s training camp.
His only previous start in the NFL was against the Jets in 2020, a 37-28 Broncos win in which Rypien threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions.
“I’ve taken more reps, obviously, this week,” Rypien said. “… You want to do your job the best you can and put some points on the board.”
Wilson has said he suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Wilson received a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam Tuesday morning and has since been officially listed as a limited participant in each of the past three days of practice.
Wilson has already been receiving treatment for a partial muscle tear near his right shoulder since the team’s Oct. 2 loss in Las Vegas. The Broncos leave Monday for London to prepare for the Oct. 30 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars before a Week 9 bye.
Hackett said Friday he’s had several conversations with Wilson, the team’s medical staff as well as general manager George Paton as the coach makes a decision about Wilson’s status for Sunday. Hackett said he believes Wilson has been forthcoming in those discussions about how the injury feels.
“I know [Wilson] is going to do the right thing; I’m going to do the right thing,” Hackett said.
Asked Wednesday if he thought he would be able to play, Wilson said: “I’m hoping so. I’m doing everything I can to be ready to roll. That’s always my mentality … If I can go, I’ll go. I’m going to try to do everything I can to be ready.”
As Hackett said, Wilson’s ability to protect himself by being able to escape trouble in and out of the pocket will factor greatly in the decision. The Jets’ active defensive front sacked Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers four times and hit him nine times overall in New York’s 27-10 victory Sunday.
Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was named the AFC’s Defensive Player of the Week with five tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked field goal attempt.
Carson Wentz takes enough hits on and off the field that short rest is just another obstacle.
Fresh off his coach running him over figuratively, Wentz leads the Washington Commanders (1-4) against the Chicago Bears (2-3) on Thursday night with each team trying to snap a losing streak.
Commanders coach Ron Rivera caused quite a stir this week when he blamed the team’s four-game skid and last-place standing in the NFC East on his quarterback. Rivera later explained his response was misconstrued but the damage was done.
For Wentz, it’s just another shot. He’s been taking plenty of them since his days in Philadelphia when nothing seemed to go right after he helped the Eagles start 13-3 in 2017, tore two knee ligaments and watched backup Nick Foles become a Super Bowl MVP.
“I learned very early on you gotta just find a way to get out there Thursday,” Wentz said. “Your recovery is definitely expedited. … It’s very tough, very challenging, but it’s also prime time and guys get fired up to go play and hopefully put on a put on a good performance.”
The Bears have lost two in a row after a 2-1 start. Second-year quarterback Justin Fields is the league’s third-lowest rated passer and has only 17.6 attempts per game.
Chicago is a 1-point favorite, according to FanDuel. In a week with seven road favorites, Pro Picks likes the slight underdog Commanders to rally around Wentz.
UPSET SPECIAL: COMMANDERS 23-19
New York Jets (plus 7) at Green Bay
The Jets (3-2) are improved but Aaron Rodgers and the Packers (3-2) can’t lose to New York teams two straight weeks.
BEST BET: PACKERS 30-17
Tampa Bay (minus 8 1/2) at Pittsburgh
The Steelers (1-4) were embarrassed in Kenny Pickett’s first career start. The Buccaneers (3-2) still haven’t played up to their lofty standard after barely holding on to beat the Falcons.
BUCCANEERS 24-17
Jacksonville (plus 2 1/2) at Indianapolis
Matt Ryan and the Colts (2-2-1) seek to get even for a 24-0 shutout in Week 2. The Jaguars (2-3) have stumbled lately.
COLTS 23-16
Cincinnati (minus 1 1/2) at New Orleans
The defending AFC champion Bengals (2-3) try to even their record after another late loss. The Saints (2-3) look to do the same. Joe Burrow is the difference-maker in this one.
BENGALS 24-20
New England (plus 3) at Cleveland
The Browns (2-3) gave up 238 yards rushing to the NFL’s worst rushing team. Facing that kind of run defense, the Patriots (2-3) don’t need Mac Jones.
BROWNS 23-21
Minnesota (minus 3) at Miami
The Vikings (4-1) facing the Dolphins (3-2) and third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson seems like a mismatch.
VIKINGS 23-17
Baltimore (minus 5) at New York Giants
After knocking off the Packers in London, the Giants (4-1) get no respect from oddsmakers. The Ravens (3-2) should be undefeated if they could hold big leads.
RAVENS 33-20
San Francisco (minus 5 1/2) at Atlanta
Jimmy Garoppolo is the DJ Khaled of the NFL. All he does is win.
49ERS 24-20
Carolina (plus 10 1/2) at Los Angeles Rams
Welcome back to head coaching duties, Steve Wilks.
RAMS 34-6
Arizona (minus 2 1/2) at Seattle
Kyler Murray and the Cardinals (2-3) are far better on the road than at home under coach Kliff Kingsbury.
CARDINALS 28-17
Buffalo (minus 2 1/2) at Kansas City
A potential preview of the AFC title game that could determine who hosts the game in January. Bills (4-1) look to get even for their playoff loss in Kansas City last season. The Chiefs (4-1) have a short week after a Monday night win.
BILLS 30-27
Dallas (plus 5) at Philadelphia
The Eagles (5-0) face their toughest test as they aim to remain the only unbeaten team in the NFL.
EAGLES 23-20
Denver (plus 5 1/2) at Los Angeles Chargers
Russell Wilson hasn’t given the Broncos (2-3) and their fans what they expected. Justin Herbert and the Chargers (3-2) are back on track.
CHARGERS 24-20
2022 RECORD
Last Week: Straight up: 11-5. Against spread: 6-9-1.
Season: Straight up: 49-31. Against spread: 40-39-1.
Best Bet: Straight up: 1-0. Against spread: 1-0.
Season: Straight up: 4-1. Against spread: 4-1.
Upset Special: Straight up: 0-1. Against spread: 1-0.
Season: Straight up: 2-3. Against spread: 3-2
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DENVER — Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was still preaching the gospel of opportunity and belief Thursday night, but in the wake of an ugly 12-9 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts in which he threw two interceptions, Wilson did not mince words on his play.
“It’s very simple — at the end of the day I’ve got to be better, I’ve got to play better,” Wilson said. “The defense played their butts off tonight, we had some key good drives. … At the end of the day throwing two interceptions can’t happen. Can’t happen. I let the team down tonight.”
Wilson threw his second interception with just over two minutes to play in regulation when the Broncos had a chance to put the game away. And his errant throw on fourth-and-inches from the Colts’ 6-yard line in overtime, when he didn’t see an open KJ Hamler and tried to squeeze the ball in to Courtland Sutton instead, was the last play of the game.
The Broncos, Wilson and coach Nathaniel Hackett included, elected to go for the win with over two minutes left in overtime rather than get a first down and then have the chance to throw for a potential winning touchdown.
“We had a good play call on. … Guy made a good play,” Wilson said. “I was ready to move around if I needed to. … We went for it. We didn’t want to end in a tie, we wanted to win the game. … I’ve got to find a way to make a play, whatever it takes.”
Wilson, who finished 21-of-39 passing for 274 yards with no touchdowns and the two interceptions, was out of sorts for much of the night. He was just 9-of-17 passing for 69 yards in the first half.
The Broncos’ red zone woes continued as they finished without a touchdown and have scored just two touchdowns in their three home games combined. They entered the night last in the league in red zone scoring and won’t climb the rankings any after Thursday.
Wilson threw both of his interceptions in the fourth quarter, both on plays that started inside Colts territory when points on either of those drives likely would have given the Broncos the win.
“We felt like we should have won that game. I felt like I let us down tonight,” Wilson said.
He added: “Lot of season left, lot of opportunity. [There is] so much good, but the bad is bad. We should have won that game. It’s on me.”
Wilson briefly spoke with a visibly upset Hamler after the game, and several of Wilson’s teammates also stopped to talk to Wilson as he sat in front of his locker, in full uniform, well over an hour after the game had ended.
“Got to finish, execute,” Hamler said of the offensive struggles. “We just got to execute better. Defense [is] fighting their ass off, and we just got to back them up better. I did everything I can. I fought my ass off. The offense fought its ass off.”
Wilson was checked for a concussion in the second half Thursday but cleared to return by the medical staff on site.
“I answered all of their questions and everything,” he said.
Wilson had also been listed on the Broncos’ injury report in the days leading up to the game with a right shoulder injury.
“It’s having these negative plays,” Wilson said. “That’s on us. That’s all on us as players. It starts with me. It’s not on coach Hackett, it’s not on anybody else.”
DENVER — Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was still preaching the gospel of opportunity and belief Thursday night, but in the wake of an ugly 12-9 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts in which he threw two interceptions, Wilson did not mince words on his play.
“It’s very simple — at the end of the day I’ve got to be better, I’ve got to play better,” Wilson said. “The defense played their butts off tonight, we had some key good drives. … At the end of the day throwing two interceptions can’t happen. Can’t happen. I let the team down tonight.”
Wilson threw his second interception with just over two minutes to play in regulation when the Broncos had a chance to put the game away. And his errant throw on fourth-and-inches from the Colts’ 6-yard line in overtime, when he didn’t see an open KJ Hamler and tried to squeeze the ball in to Courtland Sutton instead, was the last play of the game.
The Broncos, Wilson and coach Nathaniel Hackett included, elected to go for the win with over two minutes left in overtime rather than get a first down and then have the chance to throw for a potential winning touchdown.
“We had a good play call on. … Guy made a good play,” Wilson said. “I was ready to move around if I needed to. … We went for it. We didn’t want to end in a tie, we wanted to win the game. … I’ve got to find a way to make a play, whatever it takes.”
Wilson, who finished 21-of-39 passing for 274 yards with no touchdowns and the two interceptions, was out of sorts for much of the night. He was just 9-of-17 passing for 69 yards in the first half.
The Broncos’ red zone woes continued as they finished without a touchdown and have scored just two touchdowns in their three home games combined. They entered the night last in the league in red zone scoring and won’t climb the rankings any after Thursday.
Wilson threw both of his interceptions in the fourth quarter, both on plays that started inside Colts territory when points on either of those drives likely would have given the Broncos the win.
“We felt like we should have won that game. I felt like I let us down tonight,” Wilson said.
He added: “Lot of season left, lot of opportunity. [There is] so much good, but the bad is bad. We should have won that game. It’s on me.”
Wilson briefly spoke with a visibly upset Hamler after the game, and several of Wilson’s teammates also stopped to talk to Wilson as he sat in front of his locker, in full uniform, well over an hour after the game had ended.
“Got to finish, execute,” Hamler said of the offensive struggles. “We just got to execute better. Defense [is] fighting their ass off, and we just got to back them up better. I did everything I can. I fought my ass off. The offense fought its ass off.”
Wilson was checked for a concussion in the second half Thursday but cleared to return by the medical staff on site.
“I answered all of their questions and everything,” he said.
Wilson had also been listed on the Broncos’ injury report in the days leading up to the game with a right shoulder injury.
“It’s having these negative plays,” Wilson said. “That’s on us. That’s all on us as players. It starts with me. It’s not on coach Hackett, it’s not on anybody else.”
