Broncos Biggest Winners & Losers from 17-16 Loss to Seahawks
It's hard to celebrate much following the Denver Broncos' ugly 17-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. It was as bad of a start to a season that Broncos Country could ask for, considering the narratives and all the hype.
Who were Denver's biggest losers? Were there any winners from Monday night?
Let's dive in.
Losers
Nathaniel Hackett | HC
It was his first game as a coach, and it showed. Hackett's clock management to end the first half and the fourth quarter was a flashback to the last few seasons of ineptitude under Vic Fangio.
The lack of discipline the Broncos showed on Monday night directly reflects on the coach. And the most significant mark against Hackett was the red-zone offense which was abysmal. He has plenty of time to sort this out, and it's too soon to overreact, but this was a challenging game for the first-time head coach.
Russell Wilson | QB
Going back to Seattle for the first time in his debut in a new uniform was always going to be tough, but this is a game he Wilson be losing sleep over. Overall, his play was good — he was efficient and made some great reads.
But Wilson and everyone in Broncos Country expected better execution, especially near the goal line. The crowd played a massive factor, and that caused Wilson to have not one, but two delay-of-game penalties. A night to forget for the new franchise QB.
Broncos' Defense
That first half was alarming. The Broncos' defense allowed Geno Smith to go 18-of-19 with over 160 yards and two touchdowns. But that isn't what puts the defense on the losers' list.
The Broncos' defense checks in here because of the penalties. From boneheaded decisions to lousy coverage and sloppy tackling, the defense's penalties cost the team massively in the first half. The Broncos were much better in the second half, but it was too late.
Winners
Bradley Chubb | OLB
Following a quiet first half, Chubb made an incredible impact in the second half. He totaled two sacks, including a strip-sack that unluckily popped right into the Seahawks' hands.
On a night where the Broncos could get almost no pressure on the quarterback, Chubb was the one man who did his job and did it on massive plays.
Jerry Jeudy | WR
The former first-round pick showed why he warranted such high draft capital as he exploded for four catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. Jeudy's 67-yard touchdown was one of the lone bright spots on offense.
It was nice to see him finally get into the end zone, even if he did have a fourth-quarter drop during Denver's four-minute offense to try to come from behind and win.
D.J. Jones | DT
The Broncos' new defensive lineman showed why they paid him the big bucks, as Jones was a monster in the run game. He blew up several plays through the middle and made his presence felt—one of the lone stellar performances on defense.
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