The message for Brandon McManus after Monday night’s missed 64-yarder in Seattle: Don’t stop believin’.
The message for coach Nathaniel Hackett after opting to attempt said 64-yarder rather than give franchise quarterback Russell Wilson a chance on fourth-and-5: Maybe stop believin’ everything.
Nathaniel Hackett — F
It’s one thing for an NFL kicker to have confidence in his ability to kick record-breaking field goals with the game on the line.
It’s quite another for an NFL head coach to pin all of his hopes on that happening when there is plenty of time and opportunity to try something more reasonable.
That’s exactly what the Broncos head coach had when running back Javonte Williams was tackled five yards short of the line to gain with one down remaining, three timeouts and 63 seconds left in the game.
The obvious call, and one Peyton Manning desperately tried to make from his couch on the ManningCast, was to immediately call timeout and dial up the best fourth-and-5 play in Hackett’s arsenal. Instead, Hackett leaned on what McManus said prior to the game: I’m good from 64 yards and in, coach.
That the Broncos’ veteran kicker believed that to be true is both admirable and irrational.
Admirable because that’s exactly the sort of confidence you want out of your kicker — or else they wouldn’t be able to perform on professional sports’ grandest stage.
Irrational because McManus entered Monday night 1 for 7 on kicks of 60 yards or longer — and was kicking at a stadium where the longest field goal to date is 56 yards.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, but it’s Hackett’s job to know the difference.
Colorado football — D
The best thing that can be said about state-sponsored college football two weeks into the 2022 season? Steve Addazio is no longer involved in day-to-day operations.
After that? Baghdad Bob himself would have trouble putting a positive spin on the current state of the CU, CSU and UNC programs — which are a combined 0-6 midway through September.
A new coordinator (Mike Sanford Jr.) and quarterback switch (Brendon Lewis to J.T. Shrout) has done little to improve a CU Buffs offense that was historically bad a year ago.
A new head coach (Jay Norvell) and change in offensive identity (Daz’s Dudes to Norvell’s Air Raid) appears to be at least a season away from turning things around in FoCo.
And the Ed McCaffrey experiment in Greeley is looking more like Dr. Frankenstein than Jonas Salk.
Bottom line: It’s going to be a long fall in the Centennial State … unless you’re a sucker for option football. (Guilty as charged.)
Nebraska football — A
A wise man once said, “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well.”
That man clearly didn’t have to endure five years of inept Nebraska Cornhuskers football.
After the Huskers lost at home to Clay Helton and Georgia Southern last Saturday night, athletic director Trev Alberts made the right call saying farewell to Scott Frost weeks before the football coach’s buyout was set to be cut in half.
It’s always a good thing to know when to cut bait — even when it costs you an extra $7.5 million.
Something CU athletic director Rick George might have to contemplate if Karl Dorrell’s Buffs fail to turn things around in short order.
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Grading the Week: Don’t stop believin’, Brandon McManus - The Denver Post
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