Hackett, Broncos offense feel heat after 4th straight loss
DENVER (AP) — In a season that has gone sideways, Denver Broncos rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett is keen to bench nearly anybody to shake issues up.
That features himself because the play-caller of the league’s lowest-scoring workforce.
“I believe we’ll all the time have a look at every part,” Hackett mentioned after the Broncos (2-5) wasted one other dominant defensive efficiency in a 16-9 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday.
With backup quarterback Brett Rypien submitting in for an injured Russell Wilson, the Broncos once more struggled to search out the top zone, which they’ve achieved simply eight instances in seven video games.
It is turn into an all-too-familiar theme for the Broncos, who’re averaging simply 14.3 factors per recreation. That has Hackett a minimum of entertaining the thought of handing off the play-calling duties to deal with the larger image.
“I all the time have a look at myself, at the beginning,” Hackett mentioned. “If there’s one thing that all of us agree that I’d maintain the workforce again or something like that, positive. However I don’t suppose that’s the case.”
Nonetheless, he added: “We’ll all the time have a look at every part to attempt to enhance and assist this offense.”
Only some months on the job and Hackett may already be feeling the warmth. The brand new possession group hasn’t publicly addressed the early season struggles of Hackett and Wilson, who’s off to the worst begin of his 11-year profession and missed a recreation Sunday for simply the fourth time as a professional.
Hackett’s first season has been marked by a collection of head-scratching choices (a 64-yard subject objective try late in a season opening loss at Seattle) and turnovers (a muffed punt final Monday night time in extra time that arrange the Chargers’ game-winning subject objective).
Lose subsequent weekend in London in opposition to Jacksonville and the bye week that follows may show to be an attention-grabbing one. It is a Broncos workforce that hasn’t made the playoffs since Peyton Manning, Von Miller and firm led them to a Tremendous Bowl title to cap the 2015 season.
There was numerous optimism they might snap their five-year streak of shedding data after basic supervisor George Paton employed Hackett after which traded for Wilson within the offseason.
As a substitute, the struggles proceed.
“The warmth’s all the time on,” Hackett mentioned after the Broncos’ fourth consecutive loss. “You wish to all the time attempt to give your self an opportunity to get to the playoffs. We’re behind the eight ball proper now. We have got to discover a strategy to battle ourselves out of this gap.”
The Broncos noticed Wilson on the headset as an alternative of the sector because of a hamstring harm. Rypien mentioned Wilson was a “nice chief.” Rypien, although, could not ignite the offense, throwing for 225 yards and one interception. His final toss of the sport was broad of the mark to KJ Hamler.
“Everyone in that locker room feels the urgency to get higher,” Rypien mentioned. “That begins with each single man themselves within the mirror and determining what can I do to assist this offense. As a result of your protection enjoying in addition to our protection is, you shouldn’t be shedding video games. That’s simply point-blank, interval, reality.”
The Broncos protection definitely did their half as they held Zach Wilson and the Jets to 10 first downs and compelled eight punts.
“That could be a good soccer workforce over there,” mentioned Jets coach Robert Saleh, whose workforce improved to a shocking 5-2. “They’re inches away they usually’ve obtained a hell of a protection over there.”
Even on offense, Denver dominated in most classes, together with extra whole yards (324-260) and time of possession (virtually a five-minute hole). However it did not translate into factors on a windy day when dependable kicker Brandon McManus missed a point-after-try and a 56-yard subject objective. The Broncos additionally had a pair of offensive possessions that resulted in punts after lasting simply 24 seconds and 43 seconds.
“I’m sick of being up right here and saying the identical factor again and again,” Hackett mentioned. “There are not any excuses. We’ve been in each single recreation. We’ve obtained to win these video games. As a workforce, as an offense, protection, everyone.
“It’s irritating being up right here having to say the identical factor as a result of, like I mentioned, these alternatives are there. We’ve to make them. It’s that straightforward.”
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