Thread: Hackett Playcalling and Game Management

Originally Posted by Buff

Bill Simmons loves him a hot take -- I'm not sure I expect more from the Ringer. They mostly have like 24 year olds working there these days from what I can tell.

Nevertheless, I think there is at least *some* merit to the idea that this marriage would be a bit cleaner through 2 games if Rodgers would have worked out - that seems like a relatively uncontroversial take given that he was Plan A and they had already been partnering together...

But obviously Paton had a Plan B and was prepared to execute on that, so it's not like this was a surprise to him and he obviously factored it into his decision making -- so he's clearly trying to retrofit his hot take with some very limited small sample data.

Also the end of his article says it's still week 2 and too early to put him on the hot seat, so that's pretty much an admission that the whole premise of the article was clickbaity nonsense.

Originally Posted by Davii

High fived for not expecting more from the Ringer. I disagree that Aaron was plan A though, I've never seen a shred of evidence to point to that other than rote speculation all over the place.

The fact that the Wilson trade was completed literally the day after they announced Rodgers extension lends some credibility to the idea that Denver might have been waiting to see what happened with Rodgers before pulling the trigger on the Wilson deal.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

The fact that the Wilson trade was completed literally the day after they announced Rodgers extension lends some credibility to the idea that Denver might have been waiting to see what happened with Rodgers before pulling the trigger on the Wilson deal.

I don't think it does, honestly. Why do those two things have anything to do with each other aside from us speculating that they do? I'm sure Peyton was kicking the tires on any QB he felt he could get that would be an upgrade, including Aaron, but it still lends no credibility to Rodgers being plan A. Plan A was fixing the QB situation.

Terrible red zone playcalling by Hackett here for Wilson to miss this wide open Javonte.

Good God, how quickly history gets re-written. Hackett was a top head coaching candidate this year. If we didn't hire him, someone else most certainly was.

I thought the reaction to week 1 nationally was grotesque. Yeah, he made the wrong choice but we also missed the kick a yard left. That could have happened with a 48yarder as well. It was a bad decision but move on.

Week 2 was obviously worse, from a game management perspective. Is it concerning? Hell yes. Is it justification to discuss actually firing the man? Hell no. If he doesn't improve then we can talk but time will tell. He at least shows a willingness to admit mistakes and that shows me signs that he will learn and correct those mistakes. The Fangios of the world never admit their shortcomings and make the same mistakes over and over. So glad that guys is gone. Funny how no one is mentioning how well the defense is playing, how well the offense is moving the ball, how we've clearly been the better team in both games.

Personally, I like that we didn't come out of the gates all gangbusters. Nowhere to go but down when that happens. I like an imperfect product at this point of the season and can see that if and when this team pulls it together, the league will be put on notice, outside of the Bills.

Originally Posted by Davii

I don't think it does, honestly. Why do those two things have anything to do with each other aside from us speculating that they do? I'm sure Peyton was kicking the tires on any QB he felt he could get that would be an upgrade, including Aaron, but it still lends no credibility to Rodgers being plan A. Plan A was fixing the QB situation.

I think you're giving way too little credit to the local media in Denver here for their reporting on this. They were all saying Rodgers was plan A. Maybe they were all talking out of their ass and speculating, but there had been reporting for a year that the deal was all but done last offseason and something fell apart at the end and they were all in on him again this year. I don't think it's a coincidence at all that the Wilson deal happened right after Rodgers signed.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

Terrible red zone playcalling by Hackett here for Wilson to miss this wide open Javonte.

I believe that ball got tipped at the line rather than Russ missing, either way it's not a play call issue there.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

The fact that the Wilson trade was completed literally the day after they announced Rodgers extension lends some credibility to the idea that Denver might have been waiting to see what happened with Rodgers before pulling the trigger on the Wilson deal.

It wasn't even a day after - it was mere hours... There was WAY WAY WAY too much smoke for there not to be fire with Rodgers - going all the way back to last year's draft. Insiders like Schlereth and Rappaport reported it with conviction. I am relatively certain he was choosing between the Packers, Broncos and retirement. You will never convince me that he wasn't Plan A.

But Paton is a pro - he didn't have all his eggs in one basket. The piece is obviously ridiculous.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

I think you're giving way too little credit to the local media in Denver here for their reporting on this. They were all saying Rodgers was plan A. Maybe they were all talking out of their ass and speculating, but there had been reporting for a year that the deal was all but done last offseason and something fell apart at the end and they were all in on him again this year. I don't think it's a coincidence at all that the Wilson deal happened right after Rodgers signed.

I think they're all full of it and speculating their asses off, reporting what others have reported, etc, honestly. Was it a possibility? Sure. If Aaron was "plan A" all along and we brought in a bunch of coaches he's all about, etc. then why isn't he here? Why didn't it work out?

All those reporters said it's done, he's coming here, etc. They were wrong, obviously, so why should anyone believe it was ever "plan A"? I don't.

George's plan was fixing the QB and there were multiple options there and he clearly had them ready to pull the trigger. That deal for Russ wasn't built in a day, it was going on for weeks and weeks in the background and there were probably another QB or two out there George was also working on.

Originally Posted by Davii

That deal for Russ wasn't built in a day, it was going on for weeks and weeks in the background and there were probably another QB or two out there George was also working on.

No one is saying this was the case. Obviously the Wilson deal was likely being worked on for weeks. We're just saying that the trigger wasn't actually fully pulled on it until it was the only viable option.

Russ has definitely missed some plays. He's played well, IMO, but could be a lot better himself.

I can't believe some people are still defending that stupid 64 yard FG decision.

The problem with blaming the derp, fumbles is that those plays happened on 4th and 1 and 3rd and 1. Gordon was stopped, even without the fumble, that is a turnover on downs. No points either way. Javonte was going to lose yards as the play got blown up so that would have likely been a FG there on 4th down. Either way neither drive would have produced a TD, so this narrative does not change with or without the fumbles.


Hackett hasn't been good enough, but unlike VJ who came out of the gate with wins, I feel better about having him as a coach. He needs to get better though.

Originally Posted by Tbolt

I can't believe some people are still defending that stupid 64 yard FG decision.

Literally not one single person on the entire planet is doing this. What in the actual **** are you talking about?

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

Terrible red zone playcalling by Hackett here for Wilson to miss this wide open Javonte.

Russ could have literally ran that in himself. Lol

Originally Posted by Northman

Russ could have literally ran that in himself. Lol

I think even I could’ve!