Wilson enduring slow start under hesitant Hackett
Nathaniel Hackett blames his own dawdling as an unpolished play caller for Russell Wilson’s slow start in Denver.
The Broncos’ rookie head coach vowed to clean up his game-management miscues and call plays more quickly beginning Sunday night when the Broncos (1-1) host Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers (1-1).
Hackett even huddled with general manager George Paton and assistant GM Darren Mougey this week to get their input.
“It starts with me,” Hackett said before practice on a rainy Wednesday. “I’m doing every single thing I can to try to put myself in position to be able to make quicker, faster, more efficient decisions.”
Hackett said Paton and Mougey “have been absolutely spectacular in helping me through that process because that is something that is new for me. And I think we’re gonna have some good answers as we move forward.”
The home crowd took to mockingly counting down the play clock during Denver’s 16-9 win over Houston on Sunday after a multiplicity of false starts, delays of game and burned timeouts.
“I trust coach Hackett tremendously,” said Wilson, adding that his own newness to the system and personnel has played a role in Denver’s offense committing a dozen penalties and going 0-for-6 in the red zone.
“I started somewhere brand new. There’s always going to be challenges and changes and things” that could be done differently, Wilson said.
The hiccups have prevented Wilson from making the type of splash so many expected of the nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback who cost the Broncos five draft picks, three players and $165 million in guarantees.
Wilson recovered from a slow start Sunday to lead the Broncos to a fourthquarter comeback over the Texans after completing just six of his first 20 passes.
He finished 14-for-31, a 45% completion rate that was his worst since 2015 and the fourth worst in his 160 regular-season starts.
Briefly: Rams reserve tight end Brycen Hopkins was suspended three games without pay for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy . ... Tampa Bay will face Green Bay without leading receiver Mike Evans, whose appeal of a one-game suspension for his role in an on-field brawl was denied. ... Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was mainly a bystander in practice and is considered day to day after suffering fractured rib cartilage after taking a hit during last Thursday’s loss to Kansas City . ... Tennessee three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan, injured in Monday night’s loss to Buffalo, did not practice and head coach Mike Vrabel said his status for Sunday’s game against Las Vegas was undecided. The Titans also signed two defensive backs, adding Terrance Mitchell from New England’s practice squad and Andrew Adams from Pittsburgh’s practice squad. They also placed running back Trenton Cannon (knee) and defensive back Chris Jackson on injured reserve, and brought back offensive lineman Christian DiLauro to the practice squad.