The Denver Broncos have a new head coach. The first part of the story is over.
The Denver Broncos fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday after a 4-11 season in which they lost to the LA Rams in front of a national audience.
The Broncos are the worst scoring team in the league with an average of 15.3 points per game, their lowest point total since 1971. Since winning Super Bowl 50, they have not made the playoffs.
The biggest questions on the firing of the Broncos' head coach are answered by Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold and NFL front office insider Mike Tannenbaum.
Russell Wilson's game looks fractured as the Broncos have spent most of the season as the league's lowest scoring offence. The Broncos put on a how-to-get-the-coach-fired clinic on Christmas Day with three Wilson picks and a defense that allowed the Rams to score on eight of nine possessions. Randy Gregory punched a Rams player after the game. It is one thing to try to look composed or keep it in-house, but it is another thing to deal with it. He said when he was hired that he wanted the team to be excited to come to work. The decision to have Brandon McManus try a 64-yard field goal in the season opener wasn't the only one that didn't work out.
The man has to be. A five-year, $225 million extension can't be said "never mind''. Unless the Broncos want to make salary cap history and play with a roster filled with rookies and street free agents, they will have to be with Wilson through the 25th century. Given Wilson's play and the offense's continued stagnation, it is incumbent on Wilson to get to work on the issues behind center. He needs to fix his feet and figure out why he continued to pass up easy completions in favor of lowpercentage throws down the field.
There is a chance that the list is long. Steichen helped put together one of the best offenses in the league. The 49ers, Cowboys, and Anarumo could be potential candidates. Sean Payton will be mentioned in any coaching search. He's leaning towards Fangio if he returns to the sideline.
It begins with the quarterback. They have to find a way for Wilson to play better, improve the offensive line, and bring back some of his old schemes from the Seattle Seahawks. The Broncos couldn't figure out a way for Wilson to be productive because he was too successful. It is Wilson's worst season for total QBR at 34.9%. He has only been below 60 once in his career.
How quickly did it all go away? His in-game decisions became a topic of discussion. Early in the season, poor clock management came to light. His team was the lowest scoring in the league due to Wilson's poor play. Sunday's collapse against the Rams was one of the Broncos' low points.
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