Denver Broncos

Denver's defense has recorded a shutout in each of the Broncos' last two home games with the Jets.

The Broncos might have expected to enter this Week 7 contest with a winning record, but it is the Jets who are in much better shape in the AFC after six weeks.

Having started the season 1-2, the Jets have claimed three wins in a row since Zach Wilson returned from injury and face a Broncos team now 2-4 after two consecutive overtime defeats and with questions lingering over the performances of Russell Wilson.

The Broncos' blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks for the nine-time Pro Bowl QB has not worked out as intended so far. Wilson has a completion percentage of 58.6 this season. In 10 seasons with the Seahawks, his lowest single-season completion percentage was 61.3 in 2017.

His Week 6 performance in overtime defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers was particularly poor as Wilson completed just 15 of his 28 passes (53.6 per cent), with Wilson's former Seahawks team-mate Michael Robinson warning there could be a 'mutiny' in the locker room due to his 'robot' approach.

A yards per game average of 240.3 is only enough to rank 14th in the NFL and Wilson's well-thrown rate, a Stats Perform metric that measures how often a pass is accurate and well-thrown, stands at 72.6 per cent. Of players with over 100 passing attempts this season, only the Chicago Bears' Justin Fields has a lower percentage (72.1).

In contrast to the Broncos' woes, the Jets come into the matchup on a high after securing their first three-game win streak since 2019, with last week's victory at the Green Bay Packers also marking their first three-game road winning run in a single season since 2010.

That year, the Jets season ended with a trip to the AFC Championship game. They have not been back to the playoffs since and recorded a winning record just once in that time (10-6 in 2015).

Only once since 2018 have the Jets had more wins in a single season (seven in 2019) than the four they have amassed so far yet, while the feeling is positive, it is no secret Zach Wilson still has work to do.

In his three games since returning from injury, all of which have been victories, he has thrown 572 yards with a completion percentage of 56. He has thrown only one touchdown completion while tossing two interceptions.

The No.2 pick from the 2021 draft has seen general manager Joe Douglas vastly improving Wilson's supporting cast, but their recent surge has been in spite of Wilson rather than because of him.

A well-thrown rate of 72.5 is a concern on its own but is especially concerning given 82.6 percent of his throws have been to an open target, the fifth-highest rate among quarterbacks with at least 50 attempts.

No player in the NFL with at least 50 pass attempts this season has a higher pickable pass percentage than Wilson's 10.14, while he is continuing to hold the ball for far too long.

Indeed, his average time of 2.94 seconds from the snap of the ball to the throw is the longest of any player to have a passing attempt in 2022.

Clearly, both Wilsons have significant strides to make, but the difference is Denver is locked into Russell Wilson for the long-term on an extremely lucrative contract. Zach Wilson is still on his rookie deal and the Jets could soon start to have conversations about whether to activate his fifth-year option or look to move on to a new potential answer at the game's most important position. Breaking their scoreless streak in Denver against a vaunted Bronco defense will at least improve the case of the player the Jets hope will blossom into their franchise quarterback.

Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams left the game with what coach Pete Carroll later described as a "serious" knee injury.

Adams – who has suffered shoulder and finger injuries in recent seasons – had made three tackles by the time he had to leave the game, which Seattle narrowly won after touchdowns from Will Dissly and Colby Parkinson and a field goal from Jason Myers, all in the first half.

"[Adams] hurt his knee tonight," Carroll said after the game. "Not a typical knee injury. His quadricep tendon got damaged some tonight. He got hurt, it's a serious injury."

Fellow safety Quandre Diggs expressed sympathy for Adams, relating how he had witnessed his team-mate's eagerness to make his mark from close quarters.

"It sucks, man," Diggs said. "This guy's had a hell of a camp, he's had a hell of an offseason, and you hate to see it, especially with Jamal being one of my closest friends.

"It's tough. We kind of had the same offseason where it was just rehab and trying to get back to be the leaders of this team and the leaders of this defense.

"It's just hard to imagine. You go out there and you always have that doubt, like, 'Am I ready? Am I ready to go?'.

"It sucks the way it happened, and it sucks for him personally, because I know how much work he put in this past offseason and I know mentally he was in great space. He was the most comfortable he's been around here. It just sucks to see. I love him."

Josh Allen starred at Sports Authority Field as the Bills improved to 11-3 to secure the division for the first time in 25 years.

The Bills quarterback was 28 of 40 for 359 yards and two touchdowns, while he also rushed for two TDs.

Stefon Diggs had 147 receiving yards and Cole Beasley had 112, with Allen's touchdown passes thrown to Dawson Knox and Jake Kumerow.

Allen joined Cam Newton and Daunte Culpepper as the only players in NFL history with 60-plus passing TDs and 20-plus rushing TDs in their first 45 career games, as per NFL Research.

The Bills look primed to win a playoff game for the first time since 1995, having lost their previous six.

The Broncos, meanwhile, fell to 5-9 and were officially eliminated from playoff contention.

So much drama, so many late twists, and it's almost time to do it all over again as Week 2 looms on the horizon.

Sunday sees Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looking to follow up their opening win against the Dallas Cowboys when they head to New Orleans, the Los Angeles Rams will aim to get on the board when they host the Atlanta Falcons, while Russell Wilson's first home game for the Denver Broncos sees them welcome the Houston Texans.

With all that and more, Stats Perform has used Opta data to preview the weekend's action in the NFL.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-0) @ New Orleans Saints (1-0)

The Saints have won their last seven regular-season games against the Buccaneers, matching the longest previous winning streak by either team in this rivalry, a run of seven consecutive wins by New Orleans from 2011 to 2014. Tampa Bay did beat the Saints in a Divisional Playoff game following the 2020 season.

Tampa Bay had one interception (by Antoine Winfield Junior) in their season-opening win at Dallas. The Bucs were 11-0 last season in games in which they intercepted at least one pass. The Green Bay Packers (also 11-0) were the only other NFL team to go unbeaten last season in games in which they recorded one or more interceptions.

New Orleans won their season opener in Atlanta, 27-26, after trailing 26-10 in the fourth quarter. It was the first time in franchise history that the Saints won a game in which they trailed by 16 or more points in the fourth quarter, and only the third time they won a game in which they were behind by 16 or more points in the second half.

Tom Brady and the Bucs lost their last game against the Saints, 9-0 (Week 15 last season). That is one of only three times that Brady's team has been shut out in his 317 regular-season and 47 postseason starts in the NFL. The other shutouts were in 2003 (Patriots at Buffalo, 31-0 in Week 1) and 2014 (Patriots at Miami, 21-0 in Week 14).

Atlanta Falcons (0-1) @ Los Angeles Rams (0-1)

Including their original stint in California and time in St. Louis, the Rams are 28-8-2 (.778) at home against their former NFC West rival, Atlanta Falcons. That is the best home record of any franchise against a single opponent (minimum of 30 games) in NFL history.

Cordarrelle Patterson rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown in Atlanta's season opener. At 31 years old, Patterson is the second-oldest player in team history to have 100+ rushing yards and a touchdown run in a game, behind only Warrick Dunn, who had two such games.

The Rams started the season with a 31-10 loss to the Bills, the largest home loss in a season opener ever by a defending Super Bowl champion. The team has not started a season at 0-2 since 2011 when they were in St. Louis and have not lost their first two games as the Los Angeles Rams since 1987.

Cooper Kupp tied a career high with 13 catches in the opener against Buffalo. Including playoffs, Kupp has at least five receptions in each of the Rams' last 22 games. Only Antonio Brown has a longer such streak of team games with five or more catches in the Super Bowl era (37).

Houston Texans (0-0-1) @ Denver Broncos (0-1)

The Texans opened their season with a 20-20 tie against the Indianapolis Colts, despite being outgained by 218 yards in the game. Prior to Houston on Sunday, the last team to tie a game while having 200+ yards less than their opponent was the Packers against the Broncos in 1987.

In his first game with the Texans, O.J. Howard scored touchdowns on each of his two receptions. Howard joins Jaelen Strong as the only players to ever have two TD catches in their team debut for Houston.

Denver committed 12 penalties in their 17-16 loss to the Seahawks on Monday. It was the most penalties the Broncos have ever committed in a season opener, surpassing the 11 penalties they had to kick off the 1970 season against the Bills.

Russell Wilson threw for 340 yards against the Seahawks in his Denver debut. It was the most passing yards by a Broncos QB on their debut with the team and Wilson's 12th career game with 340+ passing yards (his teams are 5-7 in those games).

Elsewhere...

The New England Patriots travel to the Pittsburgh Steelers after suffering a 20-7 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 1, and have not started a season with consecutive double-digit losses since losing three straight games by such a margin to begin the 1969 campaign.

Baltimore's Lamar Jackson threw for three touchdowns against the New York Jets after throwing three or more TDs just twice all of last season. Before they host the Dolphins, it is notable that, in his career, the Ravens are 13-1 when Jackson has three or more pass TDs, the second-best team record among active players behind Josh Allen at 14-1 (minimum 10 such games).

Starting with their 2013 NFC Championship game success over the 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks are 15-2 in their last 17 games against San Francisco, which includes season sweeps in 2020 and 2021. The 15 wins since January 2014 are tied with the Patriots (vs. Jets) for the most by an NFL team against a single opponent in that span (including playoffs).

The Arizona Cardinals will need to watch Davante Adams, who had 10 catches for 141 yards on 17 targets in his Las Vegas Raiders debut. That is the most targets for any player in their first career game with the Raiders in the past 30 seasons. The only other with player with 15+ targets in their Raiders debut over that span is Randy Moss in 2005 (15).

Brady's Bucs were largely untroubled by the Denver Broncos as they claimed a second straight win on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Russell Wilson made history for the red-hot Seattle Seahawks, who overcame the Dallas Cowboys.

Like Seattle, the Packers are 3-0 after holding off the New Orleans Saints.

BRADY LIFTS BUCCANEERS AFTER STRONG START

Brady threw three touchdown passes in the first half as the Buccaneers enjoyed a 28-10 win over the Broncos.

The six-time Super Bowl champion finished the game with 297 yards after completing 25 of 38 passes.

Brady threw two TD passes to Mike Evans in the second quarter, having found Chris Godwin with a 10-yard pass in the first.

"He [Evans] is a great red-area threat, and I think his size, his quickness, his elusiveness, his hands – everything," the QB said.

"Mike is one of the great receivers in the NFL so I've got to find ways to get him the ball and get him into space, not just in the red area but all over the field. It's my job to find the guys that are open and get it to them."

The Buccaneers are 2-1 and top of the NFC South.

SEAHAWKS, PACKERS STAY PERFECT

Wilson starred again as the Seahawks edged the Cowboys 38-31.

The quarterback threw five touchdown passes, including 315 yards on the back of 27 of 40 completed passes.

Wilson's 14 TD passes through the first three weeks of an NFL season are a record, eclipsing Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes' 13 to begin 2018.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were too strong for the Saints 37-30.

Alvin Kamara brought the Saints level late in the third quarter after an incredible run following a pass from Drew Brees (completed 29 of 36 passes for 288 yards and three TDs).

But the Packers closed out victory in the fourth quarter, with Rodgers (21 of 32 for 283 yards and three TDs) and Robert Tonyan combining for a crucial TD.

LIONS HAND CARDINALS FIRST LOSS, JETS SLIP TO 0-3

Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals fell to their first loss of the season, beaten by the Detroit Lions 26-23.

Murray, the top pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, had a difficult outing, intercepted three times. He finished 23 of 35 for 270 yards and two TDs.

Matt Prater kicked two fourth-quarter field goals for the Lions, including a 39-yarder as time expired.

The New York Jets fell to 0-3 after suffering a 36-7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Carolina Panthers recorded their first win of the season thanks to a 21-16 success over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Week 3 scores:

Chicago Bears 30-26 Atlanta Falcons
Buffalo Bills 35-32 Los Angeles Rams
Cleveland Browns 34-20 Washington Football Team
Tennessee Titans 31-30 Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots 36-20 Las Vegas Raiders
San Francisco 49ers 36-9 New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles 23-23 Cincinnati Bengals
Pittsburgh Steelers 28-21 Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts 36-7 New York Jets
Carolina Panthers 21-16 Los Angeles Chargers
Detroit Lions 26-23 Arizona Cardinals
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 28-10 Denver Broncos
Seattle Seahawks 38-31 Dallas Cowboys
Green Bay Packers 37-30 New Orleans Saints

There are also divisional titles to be won on New Year's Day, with Tom Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers within touching distance of winning the NFC South ahead of a clash against the Carolina Panthers.

The Seattle Seahawks and the New York Jets lock horns scenting a spot in the postseason, while the Miami Dolphins could seal a playoff berth when they do battle with the New England Patriots.

Here Stats Perform used its data to preview the biggest games with plenty at stake at the beginning of a new year.

SUNDAY (all times EST)

Panthers (6-9) at Buccaneers (7-8) 1pm

The Buccaneers can clinch the NFC South title for a second straight season if they beat the Panthers, a feat they have never previously achieved.

After a 21-3 win in Week 7, the Panthers are going for the season sweep of the Buccaneers for the first time since 2017. That was also the last season they made the playoffs.

Tampa Bay beat the Arizona Cardinals 19-16 in their final game of 2022. The Buccaneers have scored 21 or fewer points in all seven of their wins this season. 

Carolina overcame the Detroit Lions 37-23 in Week 16 behind 320 yards rushing and 250 yards passing. They were the first NFL team with 300 rush yards and 250 pass yards in a game since the San Francisco 49ers in Week 12, 2012.

Jets (7-8) at Seahawks (7-8) 4.05pm

The Seahawks have dominated the Jets in recent years, winning all four games against them since 2005 and conceding only 30 points in the process. That is just 7.5 points per game, which is the fewest allowed by any NFL team against a single opponent over that time.

Pete Carroll is in his 17th season as an NFL head coach and has never missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons. The Seattle boss is the only head coach in NFL history to coach at least 15 seasons in the league and never have consecutive seasons in which he did not lead his team to the playoffs.

DK Metcalf has had at least five receptions in eight straight games, tied with John L. Williams (1989-90) and Brian Blades (1995) for the longest streak in Seahawks franchise history.

The Jets are allowing 10.8 fewer points per game than they did last season (29.6 to 18.8), on pace to be the second-largest season-to-season improvement in the NFL in the past 40 years behind the 2000-01 Rams (29.4 to 17.1, -12.3). 

Dolphins (8-7) @ Patriots (7-8) - 1pm

New England are due a win over the Dolphins, who have beaten them in four consecutive games - the last of which was a 20-7 success in Week 1.

Miami are the only team to beat the Patriots four times in a row since Bill Belichick took over as head coach of the Patriots in 2000. With a loss this week, Miami would join Tennessee as the only teams this season with a winning streak of at least five games and a losing streak of at least five games.

Tua Tagovailoa posted a career-high 12.4 yards per pass attempt in last week's loss to the Green Bay Packers. It was the highest yards-per-attempt in a loss by a starting Dolphins quarterback in team history. He misses out this week due to concussion, though, so Teddy Bridgewater steps in.

New England’s comeback bid fell short in a 22-18 loss to the Bengals last week. The Patriots have lost nine straight games when trailing after three quarters, with only the Panthers (41 straight losses) and Seahawks (13 straight) having longer active streaks.

MONDAY

Bills (12-3) @ Bengals (11-4) - 8.30pm

The Bills know they will get a first-round bye in the playoffs if they see off the Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs lose to the Denver Broncos. Following Cincinnati's win over the Bills in the 1988 AFC Championship Game, the Bills won 10 straight in this series. Since then, Cincinnati are 4-2 against Buffalo, with the most recent meeting resulting in a 21-17 Buffalo win in Week 3, 2019.

The Bills beat the Bears 35-13 in Chicago last week, extending their winning run to six games. Buffalo have scored at least 20 points in each of those wins – they have just two longer streaks of wins with 20+ points – a nine-game streak in 1964 and a seven-game streak in 1990.

The Bengals' road win over the Patriots extended their winning streak to seven games, one shy of tying the franchise record of eight – achieved in the first eight games of the 2015 season (also an eight-game streak spanning the 1970 and 1971 seasons).

Joe Burrow had 375 passing yards last week, his second-highest total of the season. It was his seventh career game with at least 350 passing yards, fourth most in the NFL since 2020 behind Tom Brady (13), Patrick Mahomes (12) and Josh Allen (9). 

Elsewhere...

The Denver Broncos start life after Nathaniel Hackett with a tough trip to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in their first game since the head coach's firing. The Chiefs have won 14 straight games against the Broncos dating back to the 2015 season. Just five teams in NFL history have beaten another team 15 times in a row, with the last team to do so being the Patriots against the Bills from 2003 to 2010.  

The Philadelphia Eagles host the New Orleans Saints knowing they can clinch the NFC East and the number one seed in their conference with a win.

The Eagles are 11-3 (.786) all-time at home against the Saints, which includes an active three-game winning streak. That is the Eagles' third-best home record against any opponent all-time (3-0 versus the Texans and 6-1 versus the Broncos). 

A playoff place is in the New York Giants' sights as they prepare to take on the Indianapolis Colts. 

The Colts have won four straight games against the Giants, with the most recent win coming in Week 16 of 2018 with a 28-27 home victory.

There appears to be no stopping the San Francisco 49ers, who can win a ninth game in a row when they take on the Las Vegas Raiders. The 49ers are the only NFL team in the Super Bowl era to win eight straight games in a single season while holding their opponents to fewer than 80 rushing yards in each victory.

The Denver Broncos have agreed in principle a trade to acquire Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, according to multiple reports.

Roswell Police Department confirmed to the NFL that Thomas was found deceased in his home on Thursday, with preliminary information suggesting his death stemmed from a medical issue.

In a short statement on its Twitter page, the league said: "The NFL family mourns the tragic loss of Demaryius Thomas and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones."

Thomas, who officially announced his retirement in June, having last played for the New York Jets in the 2019 season, spent eight and a half of his 10 years in the league with the Broncos.

Among tributes to the four-time Pro Bowler, a Broncos statement read: "We are devastated and completely heartbroken by the sudden, tragic passing of Demaryius Thomas. D.T. was beloved by our entire organisation, his team-mates and coaches, and our fans.

"Recently retiring as a Bronco, we were very much looking forward to celebrating Demaryius for years to come as one of the greatest players in franchise history."

The team added: "Demaryius' humility, warmth, kindness and infectious smile will always be remembered by those who knew him and loved him.

"We have lost an incredible player and a special person in Demaryius Thomas. Our hearts and deepest sympathies go out to the Thomas family and all who are grieving this unimaginable loss."

A first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, Thomas dealt with injuries in his first two seasons with the Broncos but was a starter in Denver thereafter.

In the 2013 season, in which quarterback Peyton Manning broke the single-season record for passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55), Thomas was the team's foremost offensive weapon (142 targets).

The receiver ranked fourth in the league for receiving yards (1,430) and second for receiving scores (14).

That season ended with a Thomas TD in a Super Bowl defeat to the Seattle Seahawks, but he and the Broncos returned to the title game two years later, winning the championship to end Manning's legendary career.

At the time of Thomas' retirement earlier this year, Manning said: "It was an honour and a privilege to play with you, to be your team-mate.

"I always had great respect for your toughness, your work ethic, your fearlessness across the middle, your ability to make big catches in big games.

"I never played with anybody as big and strong and powerful and as fast as you."

Denver fired head coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday after under a year at the helm of a team many expected to contend this campaign.

The Broncos' 51-14 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams on Christmas Day sealed Hackett's fate, the loss dropping Denver to 4-11 on the season.

Wilson was acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks in the offseason, the Broncos parting with two first-round picks, two second-round picks, a fifth-round pick, quarterback Drew Lock, defensive lineman Shelby Harris and tight end Noah Fant to land his services.

But the nine-time Pro Bowler has endured the worst season of his career, completing 60.1 per cent of his passes for 3,019 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Wilson's well-thrown rate of 78.8 per cent is below the NFL average of 81.1 per cent and, heading into last weekend's games, he ranked 25th (for QBs with a minimum of 100 plays in expected passing situations) in yards over expected on downs where the defense would be anticipating a pass, according to Stats Perform data.

His level of performance after being handed a five-year, $245million extension by Denver arguably makes the Broncos job an unappealing one for potential Hackett successors, with the dead cap hits that would come with parting with Wilson meaning they are likely committed to keeping him until at least end of the 2024 season.

But general manager George Paton remains confident Wilson can be salvaged and return to the form that made him such a prized asset.

"We saw flashes of Russ this year. Russ even said he didn't play up to his standard," Paton said at a press conference. 

"He will be the first one to tell you he didn't play up to his standard, didn't play up to our standard. He needs to be better.

"I don't think we made a coaching move based on Russ. That wasn't what it's all about.

"That's not why we're getting a new coach, to turn around Russ; it's about the entire organisation. It's about the entire football team.

"It's just not one player. It's not whether Russ is fixable or not. We do believe he is. We do."

Broncos owner and CEO George Penner, who revealed the new head coach would report into him rather than Paton, echoed the general manager's apparent lack of panic surrounding Wilson.

"The decision to have Russell here was a long-term one," Penner said. "This season has not been up to his standards or expectations. We saw some glimpses of it in the last few weeks.

"He knows he can play better, we know he can play better, and we know he will do the right work in the offseason to be ready for next year.

"George and I have had a chance to get to know each other – we talk every day since we purchased the team a number of months ago – and he acknowledged right up front there were a couple of decisions that hadn't worked out as he had expected.

"But I understand his thought process. He understands the work that needs to be done in this offseason, and I'm going to rely on him heavily as we go through and make these changes."

Floyd – an African-American man – died in Minneapolis after a police officer was filmed kneeling on his neck during an arrest last week.

Violent protests have broken out across the United States since Floyd's death, during which he was filmed crying out for help as he was handcuffed and pinned to the ground.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Fangio – who was appointed Broncos coach in 2019 having previously worked for the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints – said: "I think our problems in the NFL along those lines are minimal.

"We're a league of meritocracy, you earn what you get, you get what you earn. I don't see racism at all in the NFL, I don't see discrimination in the NFL.

"We all live together, joined as one, for one common goal, and we all intermingle and mix tremendously. If society reflected an NFL team, we'd all be great."

The 61-year-old American added: "I was shocked, sad and angry when I saw what the policeman do to a handcuffed George Floyd on his stomach that led to his death.

"He should be punished to the full extent of the law of the crimes he was charged with in addition to being charged with treason for failing to uphold the badge and uniform he was entrusted with... It's a societal issue that we all have to join in to correct.''

Wilson piloted a struggling Denver offense through the first two games of the season, an underwhelming start to his Broncos career coming after they traded five draft picks, including two first-rounders, and three players to acquire him from the Seattle Seahawks.

Then handed a five-year, $245million extension by the Broncos, Wilson lost in Week 1 on an emotional return to Seattle, before the Denver offense was jeered and mocked by its own home fans in Week 2 in an unconvincing win over the Houston Texans.

Wilson and the Broncos struggled for most of their win over the 49ers against a ferocious San Francisco defense that held the quarterback to 184 yards passing and Denver to just 3.7 yards per play. 

But the 49ers' ineptitude on offense in Jimmy Garoppolo's first start since Trey Lance's season-ending injury saw San Francisco waste a host of opportunities to take command, the Niners going one for 10 on third down. 

And Wilson finally capitalised on their profligacy in the fourth quarter, showing some of his trademark elusiveness that some believed may be waning to lead a 12-play, 80-yard drive and give the Broncos a decisive 11-10 lead.

Garoppolo was intercepted on the subsequent drive, and a Jeff Wilson Jr. fumble then sealed the game for Denver.

"Russell has come to a new state, a new organisation, with 10 brand new guys in the huddle," Hackett told NBC Sports' Peter King for his Football Morning in America column.

"It's a completely new look, new team. He's jumped in here and tried to make it as familiar as he could. On that winning drive, he said, 'I'm comfortable, I'm gonna use my legs here, I've got to make this happen'. He did. Hopefully that's the start of it for him."

Hackett's game management came under severe scrutiny in the opening two weeks of his tenure as Denver head coach, his struggles in that regard encapsulated by the home crowd counting down the play clock in Week 2 after his offense had struggled to get the ball snapped in time on several plays.

Ahead of Week 3, Hackett brought in veteran assistant coach Jerry Rosburg to help with gameday decisions.

Asked if doing so felt embarrassing, Hackett said: "No. For me, I felt empowered that I was able to make a decision. Hey, let's fix it. I'm the leader of the team. Let’s do it.

"This was the first time, the past two games, that I felt I was hurting my team. Did I have enough info? I don't know. But I knew the setup wasn't right. I needed help to make the tough decision."

Hackett decided to send on kicker Brandon McManus with 20 seconds left to play instead of allowing quarterback Russell Wilson – playing against his former team – to run a play.

McManus could only drag his long-range effort left and thus allowed the Seahawks to take the knee for a 17-16 opening-round victory.

Since 1960 there have been only two kickers who have converted field-goal attempts of at least 64 yards, while the longest made at Lumen Field stands at 56. McManus is just one-of-five from 60-plus efforts.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, rookie NFL head coach Hackett conceded he got the decision wrong.

"Looking back at it, we definitely should've gone for it," Hackett said. 

"One of those things, you look back at it and you say, 'of course we should go for it, we missed the field goal'.

"But, in that situation, we had a plan. We had a plan, we knew the [46-yard line] was the mark."

Hackett explained how the plan to was to get into the 46-yard range, a target McManus said he was comfortable kicking from, and that he had more of an issue with a play earlier in the drive that saw Javonte Williams lose four yards on first-and-10 from Denver's 49.

"I'm more upset about that play before it, to lose yards," Hackett said. "Getting that there would've definitely been better to be able to call that same play and get extra yards. 

"[Wilson] dumps it out to Javonte, Javonte makes a move, goes a lot farther than I think we had anticipated. We were expecting to go for it on fourth down. 

"And then you hit the mark. The mark that we had all set before we started. We said, 46-yard line was where we wanted to be. And we got there, so we had to make the decision if we wanted to give it to Brandon. And we did. It didn't work. Sucks. But hey, that's part of it.

"Looking back at it, if you miss the field goal, you're always gonna wish you would've gone for it and if you would've gone for it and not gotten it, you wish you would've given him a chance."

Not true according to head coach Nathaniel Hackett and several teammates.

The Broncos were expected to be a Super Bowl contender after the offseason acquisition of Wilson, but they are last in the AFC West at 3-8 and have been hit hard by injuries.

"To me, it's all gossip. I know this locker room - we have a fantastic locker room," Hackett said.

"When you look at a guy like Russ, he's unbelievable. I've never seen somebody work that hard. I've never seen somebody try to embrace a team like he has."

Wilson has just eight touchdown passes and five interceptions in 10 starts while completing 58.9 per cent of his passes, by far the worst mark of his career. He has also been sacked a career-high 56 times behind a patchwork offensive line.

Safety Justin Simmons reacted to a report on an NFL Network podcast that Wilson had lost part of the locker room.

"I'll say this: I'll say Russ is an amazing leader," Simmons said. "He's an amazing teammate and... I know it's a quarterback-driven league, but leadership never falls under one guy."

Simmons said there is plenty of blame to go around for the Broncos' season, but he was stumped by the latest barb directed at Wilson.

"I don't know where that report would have come from and quite honestly... I would just like to keep the questions geared toward Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens," Simmons said.

Guard Dalton Risner also dismissed the report, when he said: "That's just hilarious in my opinion. That's funny. Because I don't think it's true. I know it's not true. I know that I know who Russell is. I respect him so much. I respect the way he integrates within our locker room.

"And I feel all year he hasn't been able to catch a break. I feel like all year people are just making up rumours about him, whether that be he's not a good teammate or he's lost the locker room, apparently, or whatever the heck it is. A lot of it is just so outlandish to me because I get to see him work every day."

Wilson was asked if he sensed any teammates had an issue with him.

"No. I think that first of all, everybody wants to win," he said. "I've got great relationships in that locker room. So, whoever is trying to tear it down, you can't.

"The best thing about it is it's been an amazing journey coming here, moving here, being here. … It's a blessing to be on this team and I’m honoured to be a part of this."

The Broncos' dismal season took another turn early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Carolina Panthers when Wilson and defensive tackle Mike Purcell had a brief sideline blowup.

Purcell referred to the exchange as "just frustration" after the game, while Wilson said, "Mike and I are on the same page."

Evero, a Super Bowl winner as secondary coach and passing game coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams last year, is wanted by rival teams.

And with the arrival of former New Orleans Saints coach Payton as the successor to Nathaniel Hackett, ESPN says Evero has come to an agreement to leave the Broncos.

The 42-year-old, who previously interviewed for head coaching jobs with the Arizona Cardinals and the Indianapolis Colts, is said to be a candidate for the Minnesota Vikings' DC position.

Jeudy hurt his ribs and shoulder in the first quarter after falling hard to the turf while attempting to make a catch and was ruled out of the game shortly afterward. Surtain departed early in the second quarter with an injury to his left shoulder.

Both players are expected to undergo MRIs on Monday to further evaluate their injuries.

Jeudy’s exit further depleted a wide receiver corps already without KJ Hamler, who was held out of the contest as he works his way back from offseason knee and hip surgeries. Tim Patrick, who caught 53 passes for 734 yards and a team-high five touchdowns in 2021, suffered a season-ending ACL tear during training camp.

Denver did get 122 yards on seven catches from top receiver Courtland Sutton against the Texans, though Russell Wilson and the offense struggled for much of the day in the quarterback’s first home start as a Bronco.

Wilson completed just 14 of 31 passes for 219 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and the Broncos were hurt by penalties for a second straight week after being flagged 13 times for 100 yards.

Denver committed 12 penalties totalling 106 yards in Monday’s season-opening loss to the Seahawks, which marked Wilson’s return to Seattle for the first time since being traded to the Broncos in March.

"We’ve just got to execute at a higher level," Broncos first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett remarked after Sunday’s win. "We’re just going to have to evaluate everything. Whether it’s getting the personnel out there, or lack thereof, and making sure the plays are coming in nice and clean. And just getting into the huddle and out of the huddle.

"That’s inexcusable," Hackett said of his team’s mistakes. "That’s on us, that’s us hurting ourselves."

Jeudy is coming off an injury-plagued 2021 campaign in which he suffered a high ankle sprain in the season opener and missed the Broncos’ next six games. The 2020 first-round pick got this season off to a strong start by recording four catches for 102 yards and a touchdown in the Seattle loss.

Surtain was the ninth overall pick of the 2021 draft, and is coming off a strong rookie season where he intercepted four passes and played in 16 games.

Patrick made a leaping grab on a pass from Russell Wilson, but upon landing and planting his foot to make a move, his knee buckled and he went down to the ground.

NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported earlier on Tuesday that the Broncos were concerned he had suffered a significant injury.

It was later reported by Mike Klis of 9NEWS that the diagnosis was not good, with an MRI apparently revealing it to be a torn ACL, meaning Patrick will miss the whole of next season.

Second-year running back Crockett also revealed he had suffered a torn ACL and will miss the season after hobbling off the practice field.

Losing Patrick will be a big blow for Denver as he was expected to see an increased role in first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett's offense with Wilson at quarterback.

The 28-year-old Patrick led the Broncos with five touchdown catches last season, while ranking third on the team in receiving yards (734) and receptions (53). It was his second straight season with 50+ catches, 700+ receiving yards and 5+ TD receptions.

Undrafted out of Utah, Patrick is entering his fifth season after signing a three-year, $34million contract extension with Denver last November.

Brandon McManus delivered a 53-yard field goal before Melvin Gordon sealed the win with a late touchdown at MetLife Stadium.

It came after the Jets rallied in the fourth quarter, but they fell to 0-4 this season as the Broncos improved to 1-3.

The result is sure to put further pressure on Jets head coach Adam Gase, who is now 7-13 at the helm of the team since taking over in 2019.

Gordon finished with 107 rushing yards, including two TDs, while Tim Patrick had 113 receiving yards for the Broncos.

Brett Rypien went 19 of 31 with two TDs and three interceptions on his first NFL start, while Jets quarterback Sam Darnold had 230 yards, completing 23 of 42 passes.

Darnold had an early impact, a 46-yard run seeing him score the game's opening touchdown.

But the QB was nursing a sore shoulder after being sacked in the first quarter, and briefly left the game before returning.

The Broncos took the lead to begin the second quarter, Jerry Jeudy making a great catch from Rypien's pass for 48 yards and his first TD.

Sam Ficken drilled field goals for the Jets either side of Gordon rushing over for Denver, who led 17-13 at half-time.

Rypien picked out Patrick after another Ficken field goal as the Broncos entered the last quarter with a 24-16 lead.

McManus extended that advantage to 11 points before the Jets rallied, firstly through a 54-yard field goal from Ficken.

Rypien threw a pick-six to Pierre Desir and Ficken's 36-yarder had the Jets ahead with six and a half minutes left.

But with just over three minutes remaining, Denver restored their lead thanks to a 53-yard field goal from McManus before Gordon's 43-yard run wrapped up the win.

A 51-14 Christmas Day defeat to the Los Angeles Rams left the Broncos 4-11 on the season, the joint-third worst record across the NFL, with Denver set for their seventh consecutive losing season.

Former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Hackett was hired in January for his first head coach position and was expected to produce improvements to a struggling offense, which saw quarterback Russell Wilson added to its ranks in March in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks.

However, performances have been disappointing, with the Broncos' points-per-game average of 15.5 standing as the lowest in the NFL.

The Broncos were thrashed 51-14 by the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, a result that proved the final straw.

In a statement, owner and CEO Gregg Penner said: "Following extensive conversations with George Paton and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos.

"This change was made out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.

"We recognise and appreciate this organisation's championship history and we understand we have not met that standard.

"Our fans deserve much better and I can't say enough about their loyalty during such a challenging stretch for our team.

"Moving forward, we will carefully evaluate every aspect of our football operations and make whatever changes are necessary to restore this franchise's winning tradition."

The Broncos finish the season with a road trip to face the Kansas City Chiefs and a home game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Broncos exercised the $18million option to pick up eight-time NFL Pro Bowler Miller, 31, for 2021 earlier this week.

Miller's future was clouded after missing the whole of 2020 with an ankle injury and being the subject of a criminal investigation in the offseason, which ultimately led to no charges.

The Broncos have since committed to Miller and are expecting big things from the Super Bowl champion and MVP.

"What he's brought since he's been here, he can rush the passer," Paton said of Miller.

"The tape I watched, he still had the juice before he got injured. Pass rushers are a premium, and he's special. He's a special pass rusher.

"You look at some of the great pass rushers of all time, they're rushing the passer well into their 30s.

"Von's been working and I think he's going to have a Pro Bowl-type season."

Miller is still working his way back from the long-term ankle injury which kept him out of 2020, but Paton was adamant they always wanted to sign him.

"Von's been a priority," Paton said. "We wanted Von here since I was here. We were going to try to do that any way we could.

"Had good conversations with Joby Branion, his agent, and I've spoken with Von. We ended up just exercising the option.

"We wanted Von Miller. We wanted Von to be a Bronco."

The Broncos gave up both their first and second-round picks for this April's NFL Draft in their blockbuster trade for former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson, also sending away their first, second and fifth-rounders last year.

It means Denver will not make their first selection until early in the third round, and rival teams are aware Payton may be looking to wheel and deal in his first offseason in charge of his new team.

While that may be the case, Payton took the opportunity on Sunday to reassure his top pass-catchers that they will be sticking around this year.

"I see and read just like everyone else does," he said. "Then occasionally, when someone really crowds the plate, I throw a fastball right at their chin, and they back up, and they're like, 'All right.' 

"So, I haven't thrown any fastballs lately, but we're not trading those two players."

Payton said he understands why rumours are swirling – with ESPN reporting Denver would consider an offer for Jeudy if it involved a first-round pick – but pointed out they are not interested in getting worse in the short-term.

"When people call and the phone rings like it does this time of year, [general manager] George Paton's job is to pick it up and say, 'Hey, tell you what, we're not [interested]'," he said. "And so, we've received calls, you bet.

"Those are two good football players. But we're in the business of gathering talent right now. Why do people call? Because they know we're void of draft picks and that we might, because there was some discussions a year ago, I think, regarding Courtland. But we like the current group that we're working with."

The Broncos are entering a crucial second season with Wilson at the helm, and the franchise are desperate to see a return to form from the former Super Bowl champion.

Wilson went 4-11 in his 15 starts, while posting the lowest touchdown total (16), the worst completion percentage (60.5 per cent), and lowest QBR (36.7) of his career, while absorbing a career-high 55 sacks. It was the first season since 2016 that he was not selected for the Pro Bowl.