Are we seeing the end of Russell Wilson? Have we already seen the best of him? The questions loom over the Denver Broncos quarterback after he registered one of his worst-ever outings in his career against the Kansas City Chiefs. It is hard to remember when was the last time he had a game as poor as this. And Wilson has surely had his share of forgettable games this season. The Broncos, despite their huge investment in the quarterback, likely won’t see a relief in sight anytime soon.
But time was not always the same for Russell Wilson. There are some records set by the veteran quarterback that will be standing long after he hangs up his helmet. And arguably the craziest of them all was set exactly nine years ago on another October night, surely a very different October for the footballer.
Part one: Russell Wilson’s worst night
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The ever-falling Broncos succumbed to a new low against the defending champions Chiefs with a 19-8 hammering. It’s not like the franchise hasn’t had embarrassing defeats like this every once in a while since their Super Bowl triumph in 2015. But the way they went down without a fight makes you wonder if the franchise needs a complete makeover or not.
The biggest talking point of all, however, remains Russell Wilson’s horrendous performance on the night. If anyone thought before the Chiefs showdown that this would be the quarterback’s redemption game, they predicted the exact opposite of the reality as Wilson missed the 100-yard mark probably for the first time in his career since he learned to throw the ball.
The quarterback’s post-game statistics reveal the absolute nightmare he went through against the Chiefs. Wilson threw 13/22 passes and managed a total of 95 yards only, something truly unbelievable for the man who was once the league’s most productive player. The poor performance is particularly concerning for the Broncos for another reason.
Wilson has a whopping $296 million, seven-year contract with the franchise that makes him the league’s fifth highest-paid player currently. The deal earns him more than the Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who threw for more yards than the entire Broncos team combined last night.
But it was always not the same for Mr. Comeback. Exactly nine years ago, on another October night, the quarterback set a truly wild NFL record. Recollection of the moment comes forth as tough times loom over the QB.
Part two: Russell Wilson’s best night
It was October 6th of 2014, an NFL match week five game between the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Redskins, now the Washington Commanders. The FedEx Field at Washington became a part of history that night as the man of the moment, Seahawks’ Russell Wilson threw for 200 yards and rushed for 122 in a 27-17 victory.
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The Redskins had no reply to the one-man army and his sublime performance as the quarterback became the first and still the only player in NFL history to pass 200+ and rush another 100+ yards in a single game. An outing that’s yet to be matched, let alone being topped.
But time has flown past for Wilson. Although his peak season came in 2017, three years after that historic night, the quarterback never got to witness his 2014 Super Bowl glory ever again. It’s 2023, and now throwing 100 yards is a challenge big enough for the quarterback, which he rushed at one point. It’s sad to see how far the Broncos have fallen, and even sadder that Wilson can’t help about it.
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The Broncos next face the formidable Green Bay Packers on October 23. Given the current status of the team, anything is possible for the Coloradans. They will, as always, count on Wilson. But will the $50 million/year quarterback be able to back up their trust this time? All we hope to see is the fire burn bright for one last time in Russell Wilson, the fire that once terrorized the NFL.
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