Broncos fans have been waiting for the real Russell Wilson to show up since they traded for him in the off-season. On Sunday he finally did as the Broncos downed the Jaguars 21-17 in London
Entering the game at 2-5, the Broncos season was already hanging by a thread as they faced the equally putrid Jaguars. Both teams have made a habit of losing one-score games of late and finally one of them had to win one.
But it was Russell Wilson who stole the show. Still nursing the pec injury that has limited his throwing, and kept him out last week, Wilson finally started launching the ball down the field.
Russell Wilson opens up a defence
Throwing deep has a few benefits, one of which is chunk plays, of which the Broncos had a couple on Sunday. With Wilson developing good chemistry with TE Greg Dulcich to the tune of 87 yards on 4 catches.
The other benefit is that it can soften up the defensive front and allow a more productive running game. Without Javonte Williams the Broncos still struggled in this area, however, they did break 100-yards rushing as a team.
The Broncos have been “a QB away from being a contender” for a decade it seems, and the defence is still the strength of this team. But finally on Sunday, Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett looked a win in the face and saw glimpses of the QB he thought he would have.
The relief on Hackett’s face as the clock hit zeroes probably said more about just how precarious his job security is right now, but if Russell Wilson keeps playing like this the Broncos could be a contender some day soon.
Hackett addressed the job security issues after the game in London, “I mean, all that stuff I can’t control. For me, it’s about controlling what I can control. All the coaches, all the players. We always want to focus in on what we can do so we continue to get better. We’ve had opportunities to win a lot of football games. That’s facts.”
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