Broncos' OC Teases 'Down the Field' Attack Quarterbacked by Russell Wilson
Although Russell Wilson wasn't known as one of the most statistically prolific quarterbacks during his 10-year stint in Seattle — on the same scale as, say, a Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, or Aaron Rodgers — he developed a repuation for loving the deep ball.
Make no mistake, though; Wilson produced some very impressive stats over his first decade in the NFL, even if he wasn't often mentioned in the same breath as some of those 'Star Wars numbers' quarterbacks. Wilson can air it out and with gusto.
The Seahawks were importuned by fans to #LetRussCook but it never came out in the wash. It felt like what stats Wilson did produce on a prolific scale were always in spite of, not because of, Seattle's coaching emphasis.
Don't expect the Denver Broncos to make that same mistake. When asked on Monday whether Wilson likes throwing the deep ball, Broncos' offensive coordinator Justin Outten acknowledged the obvious truth, while also teasing his and the team's outlook on the vertical passing attack.
“I would say yes, and we invite that," Outten said after the 11th practice of training camp. "We love it, too. When you have one-on-one matchups, you want to take advantage of, there’s nothing like—that’s the best route in football. A down-the-field throw on a one-on-one matchup. It also invites defenses to back off a little bit and allows you to get those underneath throws throughout the game.”
Indeed, Wilson and the Broncos' offense seems to have gotten the upper hand on the defense after a somewhat slow start to training camp. Over the last handful of practices, Wilson has been a constant highlight reel of deep, explosive pass plays, connecting with receivers like Courtland Sutton to the "oohs and ahhs" of Broncos Country in attendance.
Head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who'll be calling the plays on gameday, has professed his love for the deep ball, so it's no surprise that his offensive coordinator shares a brain with him on the subject. The Broncos might not be a pass-first team (who knows, maybe they will), but the coaches will emphasize the vertical passing game.
And with down-the-field targets like Sutton, who turns a 50/50 ball into an 80/20 proposition, Wilson is poised to 'cook' up a veritable smorgasbord. From Sutton's jump-ball ability to Jerry Jeudy's route-running acumen, and KJ Hamler's quick-twitch explosiveness and break-away speed, Wilson is loaded for bear on this 2022 hunt.
AFC West defense, beware.
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