July 19, 2023 By: Woody Paige

Woody Paige: Russell Wilson must play winning football, or he will be ridden out of town

The dictum in Denver last season morphed to “Broncos Country, let’s deride… Russell Wilson.”

Will Wilson again be the fourth-ranked quarterback in the AFC West, the obsequious quarterback in 13 Broncos’ 2023 regular-season games and a bottom-feeder NFL QB? Or does he ride back to greatness, starting over this month?

The former two-time Super Bowl quarterback who signed a $242,588,236 five-year contract with the Broncos spit the bit and not only was dissed, disparaged and disrespected by fanatics throughout Colorado, but he became a bon mot target in the NFL to opposing players, former teammates, myriad media critics and TikTokers.

The ex-Rockies minor-leaguer was chastised for his worst season in 11. Wilson threw his fewest touchdowns (16) and 11 interceptions tied for his second-most. He had his lowest passer and quarterback ratings (84.4 and 36.7) and finished with a career-wicked four victories, 11 defeats and 55 sacks in his first year as the Broncos’ starter.

Amateurish rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who couldn’t hack it, must be blamed for several specific problems because of his managing of Wilson and the entire team; the Broncos experienced serious injury trouble; most of the assistant coaches were incompetent; the offensive line play was poor and porous; general manager George Paton, who hired Hackett, didn’t help personnel matters or change Hackett’s direction until it was too late, and the Broncos, with new ownership, seemed struck by a titanic iceberg.

But Wilson must accept accountability for so many other issues since he came to Colorado on a high horse and announced: “Broncos Country, let’s ride.’’

At training camp as the crowds treated Wilson and his expansive entourage as royalty, a past Broncos player visiting a workout asked about Wilson. Having watched camp for almost a half century I replied: “Cocky, chunky, clunky and common.’’

When the Broncos’ record became 3-10 in December, the Mile High cry was: “Let’s hide.’’

Wilson did not provide the right stuff last year. Too much wrong stuff about bathrooms in the most expansive Cherry Hills mansion, a private office and a private quarterbacks coach at Dove Valley, appearances at the Cannes Film Festival and Wimbledon and a New York gala, grand openings of an exclusive clothing store, press pronouncements, no participation in exhibitions and plain practices were just precursive to pitiful performances with a coach obviously not in command and a staggering team.

Wilson had gotten his wish to leave Seattle, and he has gotten his comeuppance in Denver.

A humbled 34-year-old quarterback will return to the Broncos’ facility and camp in 16 days.

These days he plays for Sean Payton, which should make a significant difference.

But will Wilson be an also-ran quarterback in a difficult division or regularly the best QB in most games the Broncos play this season?

The Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes is the No. 1 quarterback in the AFC West and the NFL. Justin Herbert of the Chargers is evaluated as No. 2 in the division and among the special six in the league. The Raiders have replaced Derek Carr (and Jarrett Stidham, who was the starter for Las Vegas in the last two ‘22 games, losing both) with Jimmy Garoppolo, who has an offseason ranking comparable to Wilson’s in the 19-23 range. Stidham has joined Wilson with the Broncos. Journeyman Brian Hoyer now is with the Raiders.

The Raiders and the Broncos don’t prefer to start Stidham and/or Hoyer in the opening and final games of the season against each other.

Wilson is scheduled to be matched against Garoppolo, Herbert and Mahomes twice each. He also will confront two other premier quarterbacks — Aaron Rodgers, now in the AFC with the Jets, and the Bills’ Josh Allen, the QB who could have been. Broncos adversaries Kirk Cousins and Tua Tagovailoa are on the cusp of the top 10.

Nobody knows about the Browns’ Deshaun Watson or, really, the Bears’ Justin Fields, another who could have been.

Then, there are Jared Goff (ranked at 15th) and, in the 20s and 30s, Mac Jones, Jordan Love and rookies Sam Howell and C.J. Stroud.

Russell Wilson must ignore snappy slogans and sappy sayings and play winning football, or he will be ridden out of town.