Week 1 GDT: Broncos at Seahawks

[anewdawn]

1 hour ago, broncos67 said:

Evero did a nice job adjusting and I thought the defense played very well after halftime. 

I have always felt this D was over rated for years.  Many in the know say it's a top ten even a top 5 defense.  Yeah right.  It is in fact middle to lower of the pack.  And the quoted statement is so true but the fact is that Seattle came down to earth in the second half and played like the pathetic crap team led by a nobody quarterback that they are and that's why our D looked like they somehow responded to this great Seattle 0 in the second half.  I know it's crazy to say in a game where we held our opponent to a mere 17 points and lost but I look at this D and cringe thinking of us playing all the offensive teams in our division and conference.  I'm also hoping that this game gets out all the bad in our offence out of their system all at once.  What I loved about the Russ signing was I truly believed that with him we had a chance at a W every game.  I also think its one crazy division/conference and I can see us not doing very well at all.  A catch 22 so to speak.  Lets hope we shed a lot of poisons from our system this week..... 

[big_palooka]

40 minutes ago, lomaxgrUK said:

Are we going to count near INTs for all QBs, or just Russ?

The Jeudy throw comment is just daft. If it wasn't a rookie CB, he wouldn't have got beat so bad and Russ might not have thrown it.

It wasn't a good throw, but when the CB is beat by 5 yards and has his back to the ball, just get the ball in the air. He ain't picking it.

That's fair. Except he through the one Diggs should have picked which he had no business throwing.

40 minutes ago, lomaxgrUK said:

If your take from that game is anything about Russell Wilson, I can't be bothered with it.

You give up 3 players, 4 high draft picks and 161 million guaranteed for the guy. He's going to be scrutinized. He did not look like the all-pro QB you'd expect, so it's fair to judge.

[big_palooka]

37 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

The answer is to go with the guy who threw for 340 yards and 8 YPA, when you have 1:10 left with 3 TO's.   Not only do you put the ball in the guys' hands to get the first down.  You also let your best guys win the game.   Our best player isn't our K.   And if it doesn't work out, with 3 TO's, you can still stop them and get the ball back.   

It's 2 chances with your best unit to win right away, and still 3 TO's for the D that stopped them all 2H long.   It's 2 chances, with a baseline 40 percent win probability (4th and 5) with an O that converted 1st down on pass plays with a much higher probability, and acquiring a 2nd chance still with 3 TO's left if it doesn't work out - to 1 with a 2/10 probability at best.  

A 64 yard FG is what you choose when you have no choices left.   With 10 secs left etc.    It's not really hard math.   It's an absolute no-brainer.   

Nice try on changing the goalposts though.

My mistake. You were talking "the answer" to the in game situation. Which I completely agree with you there. 

I thought you meant "the answer" as in the answer to the question is this the QB to take us to the playoffs. The guy who can win against Mahomes, etc. in the AFC. 

[big_palooka]

30 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

Given the Wilson criticism is coming from a Raider fan

Russ will be fine. My criticism is your coach who I didn't buy to begin with. 

[Broncofan]

3 minutes ago, big_palooka said:

Russ will be fine. My criticism is your coach who I didn't buy to begin with. 

It’s only 1 game and his debut.   That’s the main reason to be patient and a reasonable one.  
 

But other than Freddie Kitchens’ debut in CLE in 2019 this is as bad a debut as anyone’s had.  There’s time to learn and improve.  But it’s hard to do anything else but criticize Hackett.  He earned it in spades.  

Edited September 13, 2022 by Broncofan

[AnAngryAmerican]

Having slept on it, this could be a loss that better focuses the team. I think they spent all off-season reading their press clippings and looked at Seattle/Geno and “meh, all we have to do is show up.” 

Hackett better learn from this, however. He is only rookie HC who lost in week 1 as McDaniel, Daboll, O’Connell and Eberflus all won their debut games. 

Edited September 13, 2022 by AnAngryAmerican

[AnAngryAmerican]

14 minutes ago, big_palooka said:

Russ will be fine. My criticism is your coach who I didn't buy to begin with. 

Says a guy whose team is coached by Josh McDaniels…

[Broncofan]

2 hours ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

Having slept on it, this could be a loss that better focuses the team. I think they spent all off-season reading their press clippings and looked at Seattle/Geno and “meh, all we have to do is show up.” 

Hackett better learn from this, however. He is only rookie HC who lost in week 1 as McDaniel, Daboll, O’Connell and Eberflus all won their debut games. 

McDaniel Daboll & O’Connell all showed big stones in their wins.  

MIA 4th and 7 at NE 40 - TD, backbreaker play for W  
NYG Going for 2-pt down 1 with 1 min left realizing they didn’t want to go to OT  - made it & get the W 
Min O & D attacking GB hard both sides of ball - lopsided W

They played with an aggressive mindset.    Hackett better improve.  It’s not a “play it safe” league anymore.  

Edited September 13, 2022 by Broncofan

[big_palooka]

 

Going to need to see the 22 on this, but Jeudy looks wide open with room to run on this final play before the FG.

[broncos67]

45 minutes ago, big_palooka said:

 

Going to need to see the 22 on this, but Jeudy looks wide open with room to run on this final play before the FG.

He was wide open. I believe they even mentioned that on the broadcast

[broncos67]

1 hour ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

Having slept on it, this could be a loss that better focuses the team. I think they spent all off-season reading their press clippings and looked at Seattle/Geno and “meh, all we have to do is show up.” 

Hackett better learn from this, however. He is only rookie HC who lost in week 1 as McDaniel, Daboll, O’Connell and Eberflus all won their debut games. 

I actually don't think this is necessarily what happened. The other difference, I believe, with the other HCs you listed is that their teams played some preseason football. I can understand not playing your starters for a full half or something, but we didn't play starters at all and it showed.

Some of the mistakes we made I think are attributable to rust and lack of meaningful playing time, and that includes some of the unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

Denver was the better team, but couldn't execute in the red zone. If Tomlinson gets a toe down, Gordon doesn't fumble, we kick another FG, etc...we win this game and it's sloppy. We left 22 points on the field but moved the ball extremely well in the air and on the ground. Hackett needs to go back and reconsider the shotgun snaps in the red zone and the god awful clock management decisions at the end of the game.

Denver is going to curbstomp Houston. Players are going to be pissed, it's Russ' home debut, and there's going to be a strong desire to correct the narrative quickly. 

[Broncofan]

Honestly I was looking for Hackett to just come out and admit his mistake.  Instead he's choosing to double down.  The context is important - it was a Q on McManus, so it wasn't a straight Q on the decision itself - but it's not exactly encouraging to hear he'd be planning on 60+ yd FG's, either.   

Let's be clear - if there are 10 secs left in the game, it's 4th and 5, and it's 60 yards - fine, absolutely do it again.

If you have 4th and 5 with 3 TO's and you've got 1:10 - HELL NO don't do it again.

It's not an encouraging sign if Hackett doesn't own up to his awful mistake here.   It's so obvious to literally everyone else.  Former players, active players, reporters, coaches.   SMH.

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by Broncofan

[7DnBrnc53]

I was not too surprised by this loss. Weird things happen in Week 1 to road teams, and this Denver team has question marks on D and in the offensive line (I am not yet convinced that Bolles is the long term guy at LT, and I am surprised that Cush is still at C, for example).

[germ-x]

It’s game 1 with a rookie HC, rookie OC, and rookie DC.  There will be some growing pains.  It’s a young inexperienced staff.

It seems clear not playing starters in the preseason was a mistake.  New staff and system both sides of the ball, probably should’ve had starters in for at least a half of a game to see how communication worked in a live setting.

The amount of times just in the 2nd half Denver was breaking the huddle with 8-10 seconds on the play clock is inexcusable.  It was Hackett’s first time operating as HC but then calling plays as OC with starters on the field (why they should’ve practiced this in preseason) so there was bound to be some issues and I expect it to improve, obviously.  Still, that looked like a JV team at times, have to be better prepared.

I liked Hackett’s background and some of the innovative ways of teaching when hired to be HC and loved that he and the rest of the staff bring a youthful energy to the team after Fangio.  I mentioned this when he was hired, but I see the fan base turning on Hackett quicker than our previous coaches.  The funny guy, don’t take anything too serious way he’s went about things since hired will be fine if the team is winning, but it will cause the fan base to turn quickly if Denver isn’t.  I fully believe teams take on the personality of their coaches and last night was a roster and staff that spent the offseason having fun and not taking anything too serious.

[Broncofan]

As awful as the game management & our issues in ST / preparation - this is as telling how crazy it was we lost.   Still want to see more accountability from Hackett & co. but player wise other than ILB it’s nothing but encouraging.