ENGLEWOOD, COLO. — Denver Broncos strategist Russell Wilsonon track for a career low in touchdowns and a career high in sacks, pointed to his own play in this disappointing season as regret following the firing of Nathaniel Hackett on Monday as head coach of the team.
“The reality is, I wish I could have played better for him too,” Wilson said after practice Wednesday. “I would have liked to be able to play at the standard, the level at which I have always played, to know how to play.
Hackett was laid off 15 games in his first season as Broncos coach with the team at 4-11 and the league’s weakest offense at 15.5 points per game. It was the shortest tenure for a non-interim head coach in franchise history.
For his part, Wilson, in his first season with the team since the blockbuster trade to acquire it in March, has 12 touchdown passes in 13 starts, meaning he will likely finish well below his previous record 20 in a single season in 2014.
Wilson was also sacked a league-leading 49 times in those 13 games (3.8 sacks per game). His 51 sacks in 2018 are a career high in this category.
Interim coach Jerry Rosburg said Wednesday that Wilson would start the Broncos’ final two games of the season, including against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.
“We’re going to play every player that’s available and healthy enough to try and win a game of football,” Rosburg said. “…Russell Wilson is our starting quarterback and will be our starting quarterback.”
Wilson had his worst performance in a season full of uneven effort in the 51-14 loss to Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day with 15 of 27 passes for 214 yards and three interceptions. He threw two of those interceptions on his first three pass attempts of the game and both led to Rams touchdowns.
Following Hackett’s dismissal, Wilson’s game came under scrutiny from near and far. General manager George Paton and owner and CEO Greg Penner said Tuesday that Wilson can fix what needs fixing in his game. Paton and Penner also said Wilson’s struggles weren’t the only reason Hackett had been fired.
Russ even said he didn’t reach his level… he’d be the first to tell you he didn’t reach his level, didn’t reach our level, he must be better,” said Paton said “I don’t think we did a practice move based on Russ. That wasn’t what it was about, that’s not why we got a new coach to overthrow Russ. It’s about the whole organization…it’s not about whether Russ is fixable or not, we believe he is, we do. ”
Regarding Wilson’s place in the team, Penner said “the decision to have Russell here is a long-term decision.”
Wilson echoed those sentiments on Wednesday.
“I know I can play exceptionally well, I know what’s in me and what I can do,” Wilson said. “…At the end of the day, every moment you’re out there, you want to play your best, I haven’t been able to do that this year so far.
“…A difficult year in many ways, just physically… [I’m] used to score a lot of touchdowns, win a lot of games and it didn’t happen, [it’s the] first time it’s been like this,” Wilson added. “…my expectations are higher than anyone’s…my mission is always the same: to bring the Super Bowl to Denver.”
When asked how attractive he thought the Broncos’ job was to potential coaches given his struggles and the difficulties of the offense, Wilson called it a “special job.”
The Broncos traded five draft picks, including a first-round selection now expected to be among the top three picks in next April’s draft, as well as three players in the Seattle Seahawks in March for Wilson. The Broncos then signed Wilson to a five-year, $245 million deal in early September.
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