The Denver Broncos were supposed to be in the midst of a breakthrough. A defense loaded with young talent was ready to make the leap from good to great. An offense in search of a reliable quarterback since Peyton Manning’s retirement finally found its guy in Seattle Seahawks perennial Pro Bowler Russell Wilson.
This, combined with a new, offensive-minded head coach who’d led Aaron Rodgers to back-to-back MVP awards late in his career, was supposed to revitalize a franchise in the midst of a seven-year playoff drought.
Instead, Wilson has been a below average quarterback. The playmakers he was supposed to lift up have been moribund. Nathaniel Hackett, first year head coach, looks thoroughly overwhelmed on the sideline. The efforts of a potent defense are being wasted.
And the fans in Colorado have seen enough.
— lowlight heaven (@lowlightheaven) October 7, 2022
Those aren’t fans filing out of a blowout that’s already been decided. No, they’re leaving a tied primetime football game that’s about to head into overtime. It was only about 9:30 p.m. in the Mountain Time Zone, too.
What caused this exodus? It could be Denver’s staunch refusal to find the end zone. No team in the league had scored touchdowns after breaching an opponent’s 20-yard line less often than the Broncos’ 30 percent.
These woes continued Thursday night when three drives into the red zone in regulation resulted in a field goal, blocked field goal and with a chance to seal the game late in the fourth quarter, this Wilson interception:
This game is really something else. An end zone interception for the @Colts, and Indy is still in this! 😮#INDvsDEN on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/qcjXnKGOp7 pic.twitter.com/95qRekrIi6— NFL (@NFL) October 7, 2022
That gave Indianapolis the chance to send the game to overtime with a game-tying field goal. So what did the fans who bolted for the exits with seconds left in a tie game miss? Only more misery, this time via a fourth-and-one turnover on downs from, you guessed it, inside the red zone.
And the @Colts walk away with the W in OT. #INDvsDEN on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/qcjXnKGOp7 pic.twitter.com/rApHGVBy70— NFL (@NFL) October 7, 2022
Well surely Wilson made the best read he could have and was simply outplayed by a superior–
Oh.
This game was awful and the fans who chose to leave early were proven right. Fortunately for us, the Broncos and Russ Wilson will be back in primetime for Monday Night Football in Week 6 and then, football gods willing, never again.
