"I’m not 100% confident" - NFL analyst unsure if Russell Wilson can lead Denver Broncos to Super Bowl
Russell Wilson is a member of the Denver Broncos following his offseason trade from the Seattle Seahawks. He's been present at practice and in the community, showing everyone his level of commitment to the organization. While not disputing Wilson's efforts, one NFL analyst is unsure if he can deliver the Super Bowl that the Broncos are craving.
In words written on VSIN, NFL analyst Michael Lombardi listed several reasons that might lower expectations in Denver. Here's how he put it:
"There is so much fanfare around Wilson and the Broncos that we fail to mention Wilson wasn’t his normal self last season, and unless he rekindles his play, Denver won’t be as good as we might think."
He went on:
"Last year, he only had one-game winning drive all season and no fourth-quarter comebacks, which was his signature."
Stay Ready. https://t.co/onab9Fikqr
He continued, stating that his quarterback rating dropped last season:
"No one wanted him to have the ball with a chance to lead the team to victory in the final seconds. We as a betting network at VSiN know that Wilson in '21 wasn’t the same one who often helped cash tickets. His QBR dropped from 71, in 2019, to 54.7 last year, in part perhaps because of the injury, his return too soon and the lack of protection his line offered him."
Young Star!
@Kj_hamler https://t.co/6N11u1iRFb
He provided some stats that might suggest the 33-year-old is beginning to decline:
"The real issue was his lack of mobility and running skills to avoid tacklers and make plays down the field. Wilson’s rushing attempts were down to 3.1 per game and his yards per rush were 1.2 yards below his career average."
Overall, Lombardi says he has the opportunity to play better, and he's going to need to in order to meet the Broncos' expectations:
"For all the excitement in the Mile High City, he needs to play better. Can he? My guess is yes, but based on last year, I’m not 100% confident."
Russell Wilson's performance preceding trade to the Broncos
The quarterback's best years came early in his career. By the end of his third season, he had already taken the team to two Super Bowls, winning one. Since then, however, the team has largely been stuck in a pattern of Wild Card contending seasons.
Over the last five years, the Seahawks have only won the NFC West once. Additionally, despite taking the team to the playoffs three times, their deepest foray was the divisional round. In 2021, Seattle finished last in the division at 7-10.
That said, the quarterback's stats tell a different story. Over the last five years, his worst full season (not impacted by absences and injuries) was in 2017, when he threw for 34 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Based on this, many point to the team's surrounding roster as the problem.
Will the Broncos' new quarterback meet his lofty expectations? After the Broncos paid such a hefty price for him, the minimum requirement seems to be reaching the playoffs.