After the Denver Broncos’ ugly win over the Houston Texans in Week 2, we discuss whose stock is up, and whose took a nosedive.
Well, Broncos Country, we are nearing the beginning of Week 3 of the NFL season, and it feels like it doesn’t even need to be said that it’s been…a ride (no Wilson puns intended).
Between the stunning loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the regular season and barely skimming by the Houston Texans (in what felt like despite their best effort at time), the Denver Broncos are 1-1 heading into a Week 3 prime time match-up against the San Francisco 49ers.
It surely is not the start Broncos fans expected the team to have. Though most expected the Broncos to beat the Texans, it is unlikely anyone anticipated the victory would come in the fashion that it did.
We will get further into it. Without further ado, let’s break down the first stock report of the 2022 NFL season.
Denver Broncos Stock Down: Nathaniel Hackett/Coaching Staff
Fans who have watched the Denver Broncos the past two weeks know this section could (and probably should) be pretty lengthy, but we will keep it fairly short and sweet and address what seem to be the largest concerns for the ball club going forward. That starts with head coach Nathaniel Hackett.
Fans had concerns after Hackett’s decision to have McManus attempt a 64-yard field goal on 4th and 5th instead of going for it on 4th down in Seattle, but those concerns only grew exponentially in the game against the Texans, where Hackett’s mismanagement of the clock only continued. The Broncos were penalized twice for delay of game… in their own home stadium. As we know, it even reached the point where fans were chanting down the seconds on the play clock to help Hackett and the team get the plays off on time.
It is not lost on Nathaniel Hackett that he is expected to do better quickly. “I need to do better making decisions, faster and quicker and getting that information to the quarterback..it’s got to improve” (per ESPN). So far, Hackett has owned his mistakes, which is a far cry from last season, but even self-accountability will grow old with fans soon if the mistakes are not remedied.
Though the Broncos ended up pulling out what may be one of the ugliest wins in franchise history, it is clear that the waters are murky right now. There is plenty of reason to still have optimism, and no need to start panicking quite yet, but if these are growing pains the team is facing, they need to be worked out ASAP.