Monday night’s controversial ending in a close game between the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos is still being talked about on social media and by talking heads.
In the waning seconds of the game, Denver first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett decided to take the football out of his star quarterback Russell Wilson’s hands, instead opting for a 64-yard game-winning field goal by his strong-legged kicker Brandon McManus.
The kick missed left, and the Seahawks beat the Broncos 17-16 in Russell Wilson’s return to the Pacific Northwest in his first game since being traded in March.
Suspect Clock Management By Head Coach
Hackett’s clock management and decision-making drew the ire of many. One of those who seemed baffled by the decision to not let Wilson have the ball in his hands on fourth-and-5 was Wilson’s former teammate Richard Sherman.
This was ironically an example of the kinds of situations that Wilson found himself in while leading Seattle. Wilson left Seattle to have more say so in decisions and to be able to call his own shots at times. In fact, Wilson said he and Hackett were “partners.” Something Pete Carroll would never let him be in Seattle.
Wilson’s former teammate Richard Sherman is a guy Russ has had some differences with, but he’s also a straight shooter. Sherman talked about that final minute and the difference between Wilson’s approach and how Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning would’ve handled the situation.
Sherman Talks Wilson And Manning Difference On His Podcast
The Broncos inexplicably wasted 20 seconds and then took a timeout to line up for the failed field goal attempt. Sherman and many other pundits wondered why Hackett didn’t “let Russ cook” or seize the moment. During the “Richard Sherman Podcast,” the former Stanford Cardinal wide receiver-turned-cornerback explained the difference between Wilson and Manning.
“The timeout there was on the Monday night ‘ManningCast’ and you could see Peyton Manning saying, Timeout, timeout, timeout, timeout. The difference between Russell and Peyton is that Russell does not have the power to call that timeout without the sideline.”
.@RSherman_25 has some thoughts on the Broncos' timeout debacle pic.twitter.com/VSHMmruuz3
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) September 13, 2022
Sherman continued …
“Peyton can call that timeout without the sideline. He doesn’t need the coach to tell him. You don’t need no signal. Tom Brady can call that timeout without anybody telling him to call a timeout. He’s the coach on the field. He has that kind of respect from his coaches.”
Hackett showed the same lack of trust in Wilson that Carroll did. It’s early in the relationship, but not a good sign. It was Wilson’s moment and Hackett took that away to try a 64-yard field goal which had a 6 percent conversion probability. On fourth down and at least 5 yards to go in his career, Wilson converts at a 44 percent rate. Less than 5 yards, and his conversion jumps to 67 percent. Meaning Hackett goofed on his first test.
And then sleeps on it, comes back the next day and admits that he made a mistake, which really made him look more clueless.
Russell Wilson once demanded a trade because his old head coach didn’t trust him enough…
The Broncos just gave him 161M guaranteed and didn’t trust him to pick up 5 yards….
Just saying….
— Tyler Polumbus (@Tyler_Polumbus) September 13, 2022
Sherman And Wilson’s Relationship Is Non-Existent
In 2018, as Sherman prepared to face the Seahawks as a member of the division rival Niners, he revealed some things about he and Wilson’s nonexistent relationship.
During a presser the week of the game, Sherman told reporters this.
“I’ve seen him throw five picks in a game, so you see what he’s capable of both sides. So you understand he can be defended.”
“I don’t really have a relationship with Russell. We were teammates. We played at a special time for the franchise.”
Sherman is speaking of the back-to-back Super Bowl appearances and one Super Bowl win the two shared as teammates. Besides that, there’s no brotherhood.
Wilson always said he respected “Sherm” as he calls his former teammate.
Sherman and some of his defensive teammates felt Wilson was coddled by Carroll and the Seahawks brass. One thing that didn’t sit well with Sherman was Wilson mentioning how playing in Denver means he doesn’t have to carry the team on his shoulders. Sherman tweeted a laughing emoji to the comment.
Because we all know the Seahawks had one of the best defenses of all time for a bulk of Wilson’s tenure there.
What a way to start the season. Russ and Hackett have to get the terms of that “partnership” straight.
