Oh Nathaniel Hackett, what were you thinking here?
On Monday Night Football with all eyes watching Russell Wilson’s return to Seattle, the Denver Broncos made the most boneheaded sequence of decisions to end a 17-16 loss at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. With the Broncos down by one and driving down the field thanks to some clutch plays from Wilson, Denver was facing down a fourth and five at midfield with over a minute left to play in the fourth.
Instead of taking a timeout to talk over a crucial play call, Hackett and the Broncos instead wasted over 40 seconds — with all three timeouts in his pocket! — burning down the clock for a chance at a game-winning 64-yard field goal with 20 seconds left.
Spoiler alert: the kick didn’t end well for the Broncos and Brandon McManus.
The Broncos' bizarre clock management leads to a 64-yard field goal try on 4th-and-5, and the kick is no good. The Seahawks are going to win!
(It's also worth wondering why the Broncos didn't just go for it instead of a 64-yard try) #MNF pic.twitter.com/OR4CbX2SOm
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) September 13, 2022
Peyton was trying his HARDEST to call a TO for the Broncos 😬 pic.twitter.com/eZxNQdWpPH
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 13, 2022
Wow. That has to be one of the worst coaching calls in NFL history. To recap: Hackett took the ball out of Wilson’s hands and burnt over 40 seconds of time off the clock to attempt to win the game on what would have been the NFL’s second-longest field goal in history.
Sure, the Broncos could very well have faltered on a fourth down call and lost anyway, but at least the ball would have been in their best player’s hands. Hands they paid an exorbitant amount of assets for!
NFL fans were irate with Broncos' coach Nathaniel Hackett over last-minute field goal decision
I’m still floored. That’s some of the worst game management I’ve ever seen. Hackett needs to be much, much better for the Broncos
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) September 13, 2022
I guess we can chalk that up to rookie head coach. But that was bad. You don’t pay Russell Wilson all that money to pull him with the game on the line
— prince j. grimes (@pgprincej) September 13, 2022
Imagine being in the same stadium with Pete Carroll and you being the coach that attempts the walk-off 64-yard field goal
— Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) September 13, 2022
Nathaniel Hackett to Russell Wilson pic.twitter.com/7sneAl3bn3
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 13, 2022
The Broncos traded all that for Russell Wilson so they could take him off the field on clutch 4th and 5 to attempt 64-yard field goals.
— Josh Hill (@jdavhill) September 13, 2022
I’m absolutely stupefied by that decision by Hackett. I really don’t know if I’ve ever seen anything like that.
Just decided he had a better chance of his kicker making the 2nd longest field goal in NFL history than he had of his quarterback picking up five yards!
— nick wright (@getnickwright) September 13, 2022
The clock management by Russ and new head coach Nathaniel Hackett there might have been the worst I’ve ever seen.
Whether he makes it or not, that was totally insane.
— nick wright (@getnickwright) September 13, 2022
cannot believe the Broncos ran 40 seconds off the clock and THEN burned a timeout. if they had just picked one, they could've missed a FG and still had a shot to get the ball back. they did both!
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) September 13, 2022
If the Broncos fired Hackett after tonight, I’d understand.
— Carrington Harrison (@cdotharrison) September 13, 2022
Nathanial Hackett's clock management summed up pic.twitter.com/71PPanNZ1k
— NFL Memes (@NFL_Memes) September 13, 2022
i cannot immediately remember worse decision-making than what i just saw from the broncos. that was so goddamn stupid
— Jon Bois (@jon_bois) September 13, 2022
Nathaniel Hackett trusted a 64-yard FG over Russell Wilson and the offense to get a first down.
L O L
— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) September 13, 2022
Few things suggest “I’m a super smart NFL coach who is totally not in over my head” like making your kicker try a 64-yarder and THEN using your time outs during the Victory Kneel Formation to delay the inevitable loss five more mins.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) September 13, 2022
Is Nathaniel Hackett for real here? Deserved the L with that coaching.
— Chris Rosvoglou (@RosvoglouReport) September 13, 2022
✍️ never bet on Nathaniel Hackett and the Denver Broncos again
— Eddie (@EddieBarstool) September 13, 2022
Nathaniel HACKett
That was one of the worst display of coaching from red zone offense to clock management and discipline I’ve seen.
— Talkin’ Jake (@TalkinJake) September 13, 2022
So, Nathaniel Hackett really decided to settle for the 64 yarder?? Don't worry he used his TOs when the Seahawks were taking a knee…brutal!
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) September 13, 2022
