Wilson Falls Short in Seattle Return: 17-16

Ron Chenoy/USA Today Sports

SEATTLE — Sloppy performances could not escape the Denver Broncos in Nathanial Hackett’s head coaching debut as his team tallied up 12 penalties and two turnovers in an ugly loss to a scraggy Seattle Seahawks team.

It was an opening statement capped off by a game deciding call to sideline newly acquired quarterback Russell Wilson for the foot of kicker Brandon McManus resulting in a 64-yard miss.

Hackett’s late game time-management and decision-making will undeniably be questioned in the coming week after opting for a field goal attempt whilst having all remaining timeouts and 20 seconds on the game clock. 

“I don’t think it was the wrong decision. I think he could make it,” Wilson said. “Obviously in hindsight, we didn’t make it, but if we were in that situation again, I wouldn't doubt whatever he decided.”

Pete Carroll premiered a Seahawks offense led by journeyman Geno Smith who connected on a 38-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Dissly on the opening drive that secured a lead that persisted for the remainder of the game.

“All year. We got to do that all year,” said Smith.

The quarterback made sure to get all his tight ends involved, heaving a 25 yard pass to third-string tight end Colby Parkinson for the Seahawks' last score of the game. The Broncos would answer with a 40-yard field goal in the waning seconds of the half, keeping the game close at 13-17.

Fighting a relentless home crowd, Wilson and the Broncos began the 3rd quarter marching down the field into Seahawks territory with a lengthy 7-minute, 70-yard drive that ended on a disastrous Melvin Gordon fumble on the 1-yard line. A turnover by Smith left Wilson and company back again on Seattle’s 1-yard line with another opportunity to take the lead. The Broncos, finding themselves in the same situation, swapped Gordon for second-year back Javonte Williams, but watched themselves fall into the same outcome. 

“That’s what happens when you trade one of your defensive linemen to the other team. We’re going to make plays,” said Seahawks defensive end Shelby Harris.

Harris was one of the many players included in the blockbuster trade that sent Wilson to the Denver Broncos. The trade was one of the largest in the NFL’s past offseason consisting of four active players and six draft picks. Fans and media expected nothing short of an eventful revenge game, as chatter surrounding Wilson’s return ramped up preceding Monday night’s contest.

“Everyone made this about Russ,” stressed Harris. “We made this about the Seattle Seahawks. Nobody expected us to win except us.”

But for Carroll, this was all about Wilson.

Wilson’s departure from Seattle put Carroll in a spot in which he never wished to be: coaching against his championship quarterback. Carroll is no stranger to Wilson’s heroics, expecting a score in Denver’s final drive.

“I was surprised they took Russ out of there,” the Seattle coach said.

With McManus taking the field, there was little Wilson nor Carroll could do to determine the fate of the long-awaited matchup.  The ball sailed in the air, forever splitting the once-championship duo into two sides of history. McManus’ 64-yard game-winning attempt flew left of the goalpost, sending Carroll and the Seahawks into the dawn of a new era that would leave Wilson in the rearview mirror.

ROOKIE RADAR

Following a strong training camp, Seattle rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen was bailed out of two costly red-zone pass interferences that would have been the deciding factor in the game if it were not for the pair of Denver’s goal-line fumbles.

It’s rare to see rookie left tackles start Week 1 in the NFL, and Seattle’s Charles Cross showed why. The first-round pick struggled to contain Broncos’ defensive end Bradley Chubb, giving up two sacks and whiffing a block that resulted in a fumble. Cross will need time.

INJURIES

Seattle safety Jamaal Adams limped off the field after a near sack on Wilson. He was eventually carted off the sideline for examination, which was ruled “a serious quadricep injury” as according to Carroll.

Denver right guard Quinn Meinerz left the field due to an apparent hamstring injury in the first half, followed by a hand injury to cornerback K’Wuan Williams in the fourth quarter.