The LA Chargers beat a divisional foe on Sunday to move to 1-0 on the season and gain some ground in what is going to be a tight race in the AFC West. After the Kansas City Chiefs also won on Sunday, the Denver Broncos had a chance to join the 1-0 club as touchdown favorites against the Seattle Seahawks.
Russell Wilson returned to his old home on Monday Night Football and with all of the hype that the Broncos received all offseason, it seemed like a surefire thing that Denver would win. After all, this is the team that the Chargers should be worried about, right?
Well, the addition of Wilson didn't seem to change much, at least in this game, as Denver lost to Seattle and only scored 16 points. While it was not Wilson's fault, it was still great to watch for Chargers fans who are getting a gauge of what the AFC West will be like this season.
Chargers fans have to be licking their chops after the Broncos' Week 1 loss.
The biggest storyline of the game is Nathaniel Hackett's absolute butchering of the late-game situation. In his first-ever game as a head coach, Hackett displayed some of the worst clock management in recent years, completely draining the clock and putting Seattle in a bad spot.
Hackett was tasked with a relatively simple decision: let the quarterback that his team just traded the house for (and signed to an extension) go out on fourth down, get the first down, and give the team a much better shot at winning the game.
Or, Hackett could roll out his kicker to try a 64-yard field goal; a distance that has only been made twice in NFL history. Not to mention this game was played outdoors and on the road. They did not have the benefits of a dome or the mile-high altitude of Denver.
While Hackett should not be defined by one game, it is impossible to be confident in his late-game management skills until he proves he is not a raw head coach who panics under pressure. Regardless, this is a head coach the Chargers won't mind being in a close game with down the stretch.
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There was incompetence on the field as well. Denver fumbled twice at the goal-line, with former Charger Uchenna Nwosu being involved both times. If Nwosu and the Seattle defense can falter the Broncos can the new-look Chargers defense with Khalil Mack should have a field day.