The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: A nice rally shouldn’t save Hackett’s job

Don’t let the nice rally the Broncos had on Sunday afternoon against the Chiefs distract you from the real problems this organization faces.

Just because Denver didn’t quit down 27-0 to Kansas City doesn’t mean there shouldn’t still be sweeping changes. They  lost to KC for a 14th time in a row. They fell to 3-10 in one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history. And CEO Greg Penner still needs to let head coach Nathaniel Hackett and maybe GM George Paton go in just four short weeks. A 34-28 defeat can’t change any of that.

How did it happen and what were the biggest takeaways? Let’s dive into it with our 13th edition of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

The Good

There was a ton of good from the Broncos on Sunday. It was their most entertaining game of the year and probably their best all-around effort as well.

QB Russell Wilson played his best yet in orange and blue, throwing for three touchdowns and getting a key first-down that ultimately knocked him out of the game. Wilson’s outstanding effort resulted in a nasty concussion, and his status moving forward will certainly be up in the air.

Two of those TDs went to Jerry Jeudy, before he eventually caught a third from backup quarterback Brett Rypien after Wilson was forced out of the game. It was Jeudy’s best game in the NFL, as he flashed the talent we were all salivating over as a former No. 15 overall pick out of Alabama. Hopefully this can springboard him into the career everyone envisioned him having.

And on defense, Denver picked off MVP-favorite Patrick Mahomes three times. Two of those came from inside linebacker Josey Jewell, who showed some fantastic hands. Cornerback Pat Surtain II also had a highlight-reel interception, somehow keeping a ball from Mahomes off the playing surface. Again, there was a lot to be happy about, but unfortunately, a lot to pick apart as well…

The Bad

You just can’t spot Kansas City a 27-0 lead. That’s never going to be a formula for success. Ever. The odds of rallying for a win from that kind of deficit are almost zero. The fact the Broncos almost pulled it off is wild.

Mahomes made two signature Mahomes plays, and they both resulted in touchdowns. The guy is an absolute magician, with his first TD pass of the game to Jerick McKinnon leading highlight shows around the country. How he managed to escape and shovel the football to McKinnon will always be a mystery. But that’s just who Mahomes is — he’s a very, very special player.

And down 20-0, the Broncos ran a pathetic fourth-down play that ultimately resulted in Wilson throwing a pick-six that made the score 27-0. The interception wasn’t even Wilson’s fault, as he was just trying to make something happen when his team had to have the yards. But it’s a reminder this offensive line is wildly beat up, and Wilson is constantly running for his life.

In terms of things that need to be “fixed” this offseason, offensive line has to be at they very top of Denver’s list. It’s been a problem all year, and was again on Sunday.

The Ugly

While Hackett said this wasn’t a ‘moral victory’ for Denver, he was still awful complimentary of his team postgame. That’s fine, they did battle, but it can’t be a distraction from what really went down. The Broncos thought the game started at 3:05 MT, not 2:05, and were sleepwalking through the first quarter and a half.

It just can’t happen. Not with this losing streak against a bitter rival at stake. And not with a coach who knows he needs to stack wins to save his job. Instead, Denver played at an embarrassing level for the first 25 minutes and it cost them in a big way. Even if they had just showed up a little bit from the opening kickoff, this would’ve been a victory.

So Penner can’t change his mind. He can’t say ‘golly gee, we were close’ and give Hackett another chance to coach this team in 2023. That would be a disastrous and impulsive decision, from a game the Broncos didn’t even win! Not only should Hackett go, but Paton shouldn’t be far behind him. He built this roster, and through 13 games, Denver’s tied for the second worst record in the NFL.

It was nice to be entertained on Sunday. It was nice to play a close game with a good team. But it was a mirage, and not something we should expect to see consistently next year.

Not as long as Hackett’s the head coach of this team.

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