'Clueless in Seattle': Broncos HC Nathaniel Hackett skewered for FG decision in loss to Seahawks
From social media to Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla, rookie Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is getting skewered for his head-scratching decision to kick a 64-yard field goal late in Denver's 17-16 loss to Seattle on Monday night.
On 4th-and-5 with seconds to go, Hackett elected for the field goal instead of going for it with QB Russell Wilson, who recently signed a five-year, $245 million contract extension after getting traded from the Seahawks to Denver. Brandon McManus missed the kick.
“If you ask me, Denver’s rookie coach looked clueless in Seattle,” Kiszla wrote. “A year ago, NFL offenses converted 49% of the time in fourth-and-5 situations. I’m a knucklehead. So you do the math and tell me if Hackett played the odds correctly.”
The decision to not put the game in Wilson's hands was puzzling, but McManus defended Hackett.
The “46-yard line left hash was my line to get to. They got it there,” McManus said on Twitter. “Need to make the kick.”
Kizla refuted this.
“Hackett put his kicker in a position to fail. During a distinguished NFL career, McManus has now made one of eight attempts from beyond 60 yards,” he wrote.
“We just made our decision and wanted to take that shot,” Hackett said in the postgame news conference.
Kizla didn’t like that answer: “His explanation for a head-scratching decision during the post-game news conference was more over-caffeinated than a triple espresso.”
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