The first look at Broncos starting offense is a bit concerning
Aug 12, 2023, 10:13 AM
Broncos country, we finally got our first look at Russell Wilson and Sean Payton in action for the first time together against the Cardinals. And while there were some slivers of hope, it was met with just as much disappointment.
From blocked passes, poor pass protection, and bad judgment, Denver still has a lot to work on to make it to the playoffs this year. Wilson and the offense had a couple good plays, but they were slow to get things going and struggled with some issues that were expected to be fixed over the offseason.
While the offensive line was missing one of their key starters, offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey due to a knee sprain, it was concerning how much they struggled without him. It raises the question of if he’ll make that much of a difference once he’s back.
The offensive line had major problems with their pass protection against what’s predicted to be one of the worst defenses in the NFL this season and couldn’t keep the pressure off of Wilson. He had to scramble out of the pocket multiple times due to defensive pressure, and he was consistently hit every drive.
It was disappointing to see after the Walton-Penner group invested so much money into the offensive line during the offseason.
Unfortunately, Wilson didn’t have much help from his offensive line, but he fought through the pressure and showed signs of hope that a comeback season may be here. He was able to keep broken plays alive and ended his night with a terrific 21-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy. Wilson completed seven of 13 passes and threw for 93 yards and one touchdown.
He was reading the defense and going through his progressions well. But there was one play while he was under pressure and made a very questionable decision.
As he was getting sacked, Wilson tossed it up to running back Samaje Perine in hopes of keeping the play alive and ended up fumbling the ball, which was thankfully recovered by the Broncos. It was a reckless split-second decision that he shouldn’t be making while under pressure. His main priority in situations like that must be protecting the football.
Overall, it wasn’t a great start for Wilson, but it was much better than anything we saw last season. Give it a couple more games, and hopefully, he’ll find his rhythm soon because we saw some great stuff from the wide receivers and running backs.
Courtland Sutton looked explosive and had three receptions for 35 yards. Jeudy’s route running looked fantastic, and he had two receptions for 40 yards. While he did a drop wide-open pass, he redeemed himself the next play with a 21-yard touchdown. The connection and trust between these guys and Wilson is looking like it dramatically improved since last season.
Tight end Adam Trautman was effective blocking and ended with two receptions for 18 yards. Perine ran the ball six times for 26 yards, had had good protection in the pocket for Wilson, and was highly physical. Once Javonte Willams returns, they’ll be an unstoppable duo in the backfield.
Wilson was able to spread the ball around effectively and efficiently under pressure, and the offense showed glimpses of hope throughout the game. There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done with the offensive line, but once McGlinchey is back, things will hopefully improve week over week.
Unfortunately, the Broncos lost 18-17 in the last seconds of the game, but it’s preseason. The starters only played part of the game, and the second unit couldn’t finish the job. The team ultimately showed some minimal signs of hope on Friday night, but they still have a very long road ahead of them to make playoffs this season.
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