SEATTLE — There will likely be many video games nonetheless to return in Russell Wilson‘s Denver Broncos profession.
However in his first begin along with his new staff in addition to his first return engagement to the town the place he performed his first 10 NFL seasons, the quarterback the Broncos traded 5 draft picks and three gamers for — the one they signed to a $245 million extension earlier this month — was the second alternative with the season opener on the road.
Wilson’s stat line actually appeared the half in Monday night time’s 17-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Area. He completed the emotional night 29-of-42 passing for 340 yards and a landing.
However with 20 seconds to play and trailing by one, Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett selected to have Brandon McManus try a 64-yard subject objective for the win as a substitute of letting Wilson attempt to lead a play on fourth-and-5 on the Seahawks’ 46-yard line.
“We have been proper on the road [of McManus’ range],” Hackett mentioned. “… Brandon gave it his greatest shot. … clearly, I want we’d have gotten rather a lot nearer, it put us in that bizarre spot as a result of we have been in that subject objective vary. … We simply made that call and take our shot there.”
Wilson provided his take.
“We obtained the very best subject objective kicker possibly within the recreation,” Wilson mentioned. “… We obtained there and sadly it did not go in. … I imagine in coach Hackett, I imagine in what we’re doing, I imagine in the whole lot.”
As Wilson added, “I do not assume it was the unsuitable choice.”
McManus’ first try sailed huge left, however Seahawks coach Pete Carroll had referred to as a timeout simply earlier than the snap. Hackett mentioned he did not take into account sending the offense again on the sector after the negated miss as a result of “I used to be completely satisfied he obtained that one out of the best way. We had loads of distance and thought we’d be capable of make it.”
Carroll mentioned he was “stunned” the Broncos opted to kick.
“We weren’t pondering subject objective there,” he mentioned. “We have been pondering it was fourth down they usually have been nonetheless going. So it gave us an opportunity to win the sport on that play. That was lucky there. Lucky they did not make the kick. He kicked the hell out of the ball.”
McManus’ second try additionally sailed huge left, and Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith, who received a coaching camp battle over Drew Lock for the job as Wilson’s successor, took a knee on three snaps to shut a stirring night time throughout. Lock was one of many three gamers the Broncos had despatched to the Seahawks within the March blockbuster.
“This was a particular recreation, simply because I obtained to see and play in opposition to a few of my closest associates,” Wilson mentioned.
“I would not be the place I’m as we speak with out this place … however I did not play [tonight] for simply this one recreation. I’ve obtained an even bigger mission.”
Virtually from the second the total NFL schedule was launched, the Wilson-Seahawks reunion was circled on loads of calendars. Wilson, his new teammates with the Broncos and the Seahawks all publicly had performed the just-another-game card.
However the reply to the query of whether or not Wilson can be booed after 10 seasons in Seattle that included 9 Professional Bowl alternatives, two Tremendous Bowl journeys and one Lombardi trophy was answered from the second Wilson took the sector for pregame actions. The Seahawks trustworthy booed lustily all through.
The group, as if it was an effort to point out lots of these available had moved on, even chanted “Ge-no, Ge-no, Ge-no” at any time when Smith made any performs of word, and Seahawks coach Pete Carroll usually was gesturing to the group to get louder at any time when the Broncos had the ball. The group chanted Smith’s title because the quarterback took these last kneel-downs to seal the win.
“It did not trouble me,” Wilson mentioned. “It was a hostile atmosphere; it at all times has been. I did not anticipate to get a spherical of applause each occasionally. I gave the whole lot I had right here daily, daily, and anyone that claims anything, they’re fully unsuitable.”
Wilson and the Broncos’ offense had a toned-down begin, given Wilson did not goal a large receiver on a go try till he connected with Jerry Jeudy on a 67-yard catch-and-run landing with 5 minutes, 34 seconds left within the first half. However total, at the same time as they obtained issues cranked up, the Broncos could not flip their 433 yards of offense into sufficient factors.
Denver operating backs Melvin Gordon III and Javonte Williams every misplaced a fumble on performs that began on the Seahawks’ 1-yard line to negate two potential scoring drives, and the Broncos did not tally touchdowns on their different two journeys contained in the Seattle 20-yard line.
Toss within the Broncos’ 12 penalties (for 106 yards) and the Seahawks received regardless of simply 253 complete yards and no second-half factors.
“I feel he performed rather well, he took care of the soccer, he made actually good selections, he had some explosive performs, he was in a position to distribute the ball all around the subject,” Hackett mentioned of Wilson. “That is what makes me actually annoyed for him.”
Alternatively, Smith was virtually good within the first half. Smith accomplished his first 13 passes of the sport and was 17-of-18 with two touchdowns to steer the Seahawks to a 17-13 halftime benefit. The Broncos’ protection pitched a shutout within the second half.
“We form of obtained the jitters out [in the first half],” Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb mentioned.
“After we tuned it in … we obtained again on observe.”
As Wilson defined, “We had a variety of nice performs, we threw the ball across the subject … had a variety of nice issues. The truth is we did not get the ball in the long run zone on these purple zone performs.”
Wilson had arrived to the stadium in an ensemble worthy of trend week a number of hours earlier than kickoff, and virtually each second was a reunion of types as he moved by means of the stadium and thru his warm-ups.
With a handshake right here and a wave there, Wilson went in regards to the enterprise of making an attempt to a minimum of proceed to stay to the script he and the remainder of the Broncos had tried to maintain to all by means of the times and weeks main as much as Monday’s recreation.
Former Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman appeared on stadium video boards half-hour earlier than kickoff to a loud ovation. And former operating again Marshawn Lynch was one other of a number of ex-Seahawks roaming the sidelines throughout warm-ups.
All of it ended with McManus’ miss and a celebration by the Seattle “12s” Wilson had hoped would welcome him again.
“Tonight was particular,” Wilson mentioned.
“It was nonetheless a particular atmosphere in a spot that I really like.”
