Denver Broncos star quarterback Russell Wilson has been getting absolutely crushed by analysts and fans, alike, after his lackluster "Thursday Night Football" performance in what became a 12-9 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts that featured Wilson throwing a costly fourth-quarter interception and then missing a wide-open teammate on the final play of the extra period:
The Broncos are trying to put the game away... and instead it's another Russell Wilson interception. Brutal!
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 7, 2022
(And it summarizes this game) #TNF pic.twitter.com/SOA4CisjzV
The Broncos go for it on 4th-and-1, and Russell Wilson's pass is incomplete! The Colts win 12-9 in OT! #TNF pic.twitter.com/1yHn6TmOpF
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 7, 2022
Despite the result that dropped the Broncos to 2-3 on what is quickly becoming a disappointing season, Wilson nevertheless ended his post-game press conference with his "Broncos Country, let’s ride" catchphrase that may already be wearing a bit thin on pockets of the fan base:
Despite a tough night, Russell Wilson still made sure to end his presser with a “Broncos Country, let’s ride.”pic.twitter.com/mnbAoI4hQe
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 7, 2022
The package, as a whole, was too much for NFL Network analyst Kyle Brandt, who blasted Wilson during Friday's edition of the "Good Morning Football" program.
"I think Russell Wilson is one of the least authentic personalities we have in this league. I think Russell Wilson is a poser," Brandt explained. "And that doesn’t mean he’s a bad person. Actually, he’s a good person. I think he tries to be something that he is not. And when you make the $245 million, you’ve either got to be a really great guy with the locker room who loves you, or you’ve got to be an amazing player."
Excellent stuff from @KyleBrandt (as usual)
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 7, 2022
"I think Russell Wilson is one of the least authentic personalities we have in this league. I think Russell Wilson is a poser."
"Geno Smith makes that play 10 times out of 10." https://t.co/XPvf2SEMDV
Brandt added during his rant that the relationship between Wilson and the Broncos "could come off the rails" sooner than later and that journeyman Geno Smith, who has replaced Wilson with the Seattle Seahawks, is currently the better of the two signal-callers.
The numbers prove Brandt's points. Per ESPN stats, Wilson began Friday morning sitting 20th among eligible quarterbacks with an 82.8 passer rating and 22nd with a 36.9 total QBR. To compare, Smith is third overall with a 108.0 passer rating and 10th with a 62.8 total QBR. Wilson is 28th with a 59.4% completion percentage, while Smith leads the league in that category at 77.3%.
Wilson and the Broncos will try to right the figurative ship when they play at the Los Angeles Chargers next Monday night.
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