Russell Wilson’s massive $245 million deal just keeps getting worse for the Denver Broncos as the weeks roll on this NFL season.
The Broncos were beaten 12-9 in overtime by the Indianapolis Colts to open week five, in a game widely slammed by fans and footy experts for its shocking execution.
A local television network, Denver7, even apologised to fans after the match for the dour, error-riddled affair.
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“First off, I feel the need to just apologise to the viewers … the fact you had to watch that on our air, I feel bad. I was here and I didn’t even want to watch it,” Denver7’s Nick Rothschild said.
“It burns the retinas! It was that awful,” reporter Troy Renck said.
“Both teams stunk offensively.
“Russell Wilson made two of the most facepalm throws he’s made in recent years.
“It just makes no sense – it’s illogical.”
Broncos fans not only booed their superstar quarterback, but many headed for the exits when the match was pushed into overtime after Wilson threw an end zone interception at third and four with just over two minutes remaining in the match.
“Who’s doing the math?” Renck questioned.
“What gave you any belief the Colts could drive the field and score a touchdown if they had just kicked a field goal there and gone up 12-6 late?”
Colts QB Matt Ryan was able to march down field with the subsequent possession as a 31-yard field goal tied scores at 9-all with seconds remaining in the match.
The Colts took their first lead of the match early in OT, thanks to a 48-yard field goal to Chase McLaughlin, but it was Wilson’s call to throw at four and one at the four-yard line that staggered fans.
“You get to the fourth and one, season on the line and what do they do? They go out of the shotgun which has not worked once in the redzone all year. And yet they do it again. It just defies logic,” Renck said.
“They deserved this loss.
“There needs to be some consequences … (rookie coach) Nathaniel Hackett has to look himself in the mirror and so does Russell Wilson because that was one of the worst games he’s played in his career.”
Wilson’s pass to receiver Courtland Sutton was batted away by Colts veteran Stephon Gilmore to end the game.
Gilmore’s touchdown-denying play capped an error-strewn NFL contest dominated by defense.
Wilson was sacked four times and threw two interceptions with no touchdowns. Colts quarterback Matt Ryan also struggled, sacked six times and also tossing two interceptions.
Wilson, the ex-Seattle Seahawks superstar, was traded to the Denver Broncos along with a fourth-round pick in one of the biggest deals of the off-season.
And before Wilson had even suited up, the Broncos opted to lock him in on a five-year contract extension worth $245m – making him the second-highest paid quarterback in the league at $49m per season (behind Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers at $50m per season).
In return, the Seahawks picked up a host of early draft selections, plus QB Drew Lock, defensive linesman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant.
While Lock was overlooked for the starting QB role at the Seahawks for Geno Smith, it’s Seattle already coming up trumps in the massive trade.
The Broncos are now 2-3 in a horror start to the year – despite many pundits having them in the AFC race.
The game started with a scary injury to Colts running back Nyheim Hines, who was removed from the field after a concussion on the opening drive.
Hines’s legs buckled beneath him as he tried to walk after suffering a heavy hit. He was dispatched to the locker room and did not return for the remainder of the game.
The incident immediately revived memories of Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion scare against the Buffalo Bills last month.
