2023 Broncos Draft Picks Watch: Denver hilariously loses another wretched prime-time game

For the second week in a row, the Denver Broncos (2-4) went to overtime. For the second week in a row, they lost.

In another utter waste of prime-time television, the Broncos fell 19-16 to the Los Angeles Chargers in a game filled with penalties, bad offensive line play, bad play-calling, bad coaching, and a kicker with a bad hamstring playing the role of hero. Seattle Seahawks fans should be thanking Dustin Hopkins for making his four field goals, including the winner in overtime. Personally, I believe he should take Sunday off for his valiant performance.

Russell Wilson started the game 10/10 for 116 yards and a touchdown to rookie Greg Dulcich.

It looked like vintage Russ was back. Although with that included this play that turned into a sack.

After that, he was 5/18 for 72 yards. In the 2nd half and overtime he was 3/11 for 15 yards, and subtracting sacks Denver had -9 net yards passing after halftime. It was another bad display from him and the rest of this turgid Broncos offense. Maybe this is what Russell Wilson looks like without his once elite rushing abilities and elusiveness, or the shoulder injury is worse than is being reported, or his decline is a lot sharper than expected, but this is the worst that Wilson has ever looked over a span of this many games. Whatever the case, I doubt Nathaniel Hackett will be his head coach in 2023.

Update: Evidently Wilson picked up another injury.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Denver’s passing attack cratered after cornerback JC Jackson was benched for a pass interference penalty and multiple busted coverages that effectively resulted in 13 of Denver’s 16 points.

Justin Herbert threw 57 passes and only managed 224 net yards, throwing an interception that led to Denver’s only second half scoring drive (which traveled 0 yards). One of the most exciting young quarterbacks in the league was reduced to a slew of five-yard passes to running backs and stick routes to receivers.

Overtime was dismal. No one managed a single first down! We could’ve easily had a tie if not for rookie Montrell Washington muffing his second punt of the night. Unlike the first time, this fumble would go to the Chargers. In his defense, his teammate positioned himself terribly and got blocked into him. Much like we saw in the Seahawks-49ers game when Xavier Crawford was blocked into Tyler Lockett, causing a lost fumble, it’s not a penalty.

Thank you, Chargers. Now it’s time for the Seahawks to beat them this Sunday in LA.

Pick Status: The Seahawks would be picking at No. 7 and No. 39 in the 2023 NFL Draft, courtesy of the first- and second-rounders that Seattle acquired in the Russell Wilson trade.

Next week: A home game against the New York Jets (4-2), one of the NFL’s surprise stories this season. Entirely possible that as good as the Broncos defense is, the Jets win anyway because it’s so clear that you do not need an effective offense to prevail against this Denver team.