Russell Wilson (and the Denver Broncos’ entire offense) didn’t start well against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 3, but when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter, the veteran quarterback was clutch.
Wilson led a 12-play, 80-yard drive that ended in a one-yard Melvin Gordon touchdown run and gave Denver an 11-10 lead late in the fourth quarter. Gordon’s run ended up being a game-winning score, marking Wilson’s 34th game-winning drive since he entered the league in 2012 (second-most in the NFL).
After being restricted to the pocket earlier in the game, Wilson showed more mobility on that drive, taking matters into his own hands to keep plays alive with his legs.
“When we needed a big drive there at the end, Russell came through when he started running around, making plays, and it was a thing of beauty,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said after the win.
Wilson certainly wasn’t perfect on Sunday Night Football — he completed 20-of-33 passes with no touchdowns and four sacks — but he came through when it mattered most, and that’s exactly why the Broncos gave up what they did to acquire and pay the quarterback this offseason.
In addition to his play-making, Wilson’s leadership was also on display late in the game.
“I told the guys, ‘Listen, despite us battling back and forth, back and forth, the game is still close — within striking distance,'” Wilson recalled after the win. “We just kept staying on it. Really in the fourth quarter, I had to kind of use my legs and kind of take over. Just try to move around and find some first downs.”
Wilson didn’t play a perfect game, but he helped Denver secure a win, and that’s most important. If the offense works out some of the kinks that have hindered them through three weeks, Wilson might not need to rely on late-game heroics to pull off victories. When those scenarios do arise, though, Wilson has demonstrated that he’s capable of coming up clutch.
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