How dumb must an NFL team be to do everything in its power to recreate the bromance between Aaron Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett, a bad idea that made the Broncos look like fools?
Sean Payton was hired by Denver to be a coach with the gravitas to wrest away the control from quarterback Russell Wilson that Rodgers now wants with the New York Jets.
What can I say? The J-E-T-S are D-U-M-B.
Here’s hoping the hissy fit thrown by Rodgers, a Grade AA prima donna, results in his trade to New York, because the Jets are scheduled to make a visit for a game in our dusty old cowtown later this year.
The Broncos and Jets are so desperate for a return to the NFL playoffs they are willing to sell their souls for a quarterback. After closing last season on a six-game losing streak, New York finished with a 7-10 record, while Denver was even worse at 5-12.
But what combination would you rather have leading your offense?
Rodgers and Hackett? Or Payton and Wilson?
I say: Advantage, Broncos. Big time.
For all the Plan B scrambling general manager George Paton was forced to do after he couldn’t make a deal a year ago to pry Rodgers from Green Bay, and for all the embarrassment Hackett caused on the Denver sideline, from an inability to deliver play calls in a timely fashion to an inability to control his players’ emotions, at least the Broncos dodged an even worse fate than the reunion of A-Rod and Huggy Bear the clueless Jets are trying to facilitate.
The reason I believe the Broncos have a better shot of qualifying for the playoffs during the upcoming season than the Jets do? It appears Denver has learned from the mistakes that began when Wilson set up shop in his private office at the team’s Dove Valley Headquarters.
After suffering through a miserable season with Green Bay, Rodgers originally put his chances of retiring at 90%. Now Rodgers has informed the NFL world through his buddy and personal media mouthpiece Pat McAfee that his intention is to bolt the Land of Cheese to the Big Apple and play a 19th professional season with the Jets, where Hackett was hired as offensive coordinator after his unceremonious dismissal in Denver.
For as bad as it has been in Broncos Country, we should thank our lucky stars over the Rockies that Rodgers didn’t bring his diva act to Denver.
After making the error of giving Wilson too much control, not to mention a $245 million contract extension, everything that Payton has said and the Broncos have done of late indicates that there is indeed a new sheriff in town.
Follow the money the Broncos have spent in free agency, then add in the possibility they are open to trading receivers Courtland Sutton and/or Jerry Jeudy. Isn’t it obvious Denver wants to be a run-heavy team that will let Russ cook only in prime-opportunity situations when his affinity for the long ball or ability to pick up a first down with his feet is needed?
The free agents atop Denver’s shopping list were right tackle Mike McGlinchey and guard Ben Powers, moves that shout Wilson should spend more time taking snaps under center in order to hand the rock to Javonte Williams when he recovers from knee surgery, or Samaje Perine, signed off the Bengals roster.
That sounds to me as if Payton intends to play more than a little smashmouth, a strategy that would make sense in the AFC West, where nobody is going to beat Kansas City by trying to show more flash than Patrick Mahomes. Perhaps Denver can bash the Chiefs over the head with a physical offensive approach and a nasty defensive attitude.
Meanwhile, the Jets are banking on a 39-year-old, hippy-dippy quarterback, who now seems more comfortable living off the grid than in the pocket, giving orders to Hackett, more suited to being an obsequious wingman than a coach that actually leads.
Good luck with all that.
I’m confident Wilson can again thrive as a quarterback in this league by doing things Payton’s way, and even more confident that if DangeRuss fails to get in line, the Broncos have a coach unafraid to show him the door.
