No first-year head coach has had a more trying first two weeks this NFL season then Denver's Nathaniel Hackett, the former Green Bay offensive coordinator who actually didn't call plays for the Packers – head coach Matt LaFleur did. Some questionable clock management and play calling by Hackett has fans in Denver already questioning him and Hackett admitting he needs to be better. At Caesars Sportsbook, Hackett was a +1500 second favorite for NFL Coach of the Year entering Week 1 but is now a +10000 long shot.
The Broncos (1-1) are putting up yar ds. They're averaging 391.5 per game, ranking sixth in the NFL. But the Broncos are scoring just 16.0 points per game. Denver is 0-for-6 in red-zone possessions so far, having scored all of its touchdowns from outside the 20-yard line. Out of 16 plays inside the opponents' 10, the Broncos have thrown the ball 12 times. Sure, they now have Russell Wilson, but also boast a terrific 1-2 punch at tailback in Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon.
Denver has been assessed four delay of game penalties already and used its final timeout of this past Sunday's close win over Houston with 07:38 left in the game because the players couldn't get organized. At one point, the fans counted down the play clock each time it approached zero.
“We've got to make sure the communication is clear and concise,'' said Hackett, adding he has no plans to give up play-calling. “I need to do better making decisions, faster and quicker and getting that inform ation to the quarterback … It's got to improve.”