Skip Bayless defends Nathaniel Hackett's FG decision: 'Showed some big guts'

The Broncos offense wasn’t anemic Monday night, averaging 6.8 yards per play. However, it wasn't making big plays on the final drive, gaining just 32 yards in three minutes and 47 seconds. Denver's previous scoring drive was slow too, taking more than six minutes. 

“For me during that time we had been moving it just slightly, they weren’t moving it with big chunks,” Hackett said in the post-game news conference. 

When the Broncos did find the red zone, they squandered their opportunities. Running backs Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III each fumbled near the goal line on consecutive drives in the third quarter. A 14-point swing can turn the tide of the game, obviously.

Analytics still place the blame on Hackett’s choice to go for the ill-fated field goal.

According to CBS Sports, Russell Wilson has converted fourth-and-5 or less 68.8 percent of the time in his career while kicks from that distance were only successful 6.1 percent of the time.