Brock Huard, Seattle as Starbucks and the Space Needle, knows Russell Wilson better than most. And he’s seen this version before.
“Russ was immensely humbled last year and is buying into the system that first elevated his career in Seattle,” the Fox Sports football analyst and longtime radio host in the Pacific Northwest told me Thursday.
“Not a lot of nine-time Pro Bowlers would check their ego at the door and revert back to a system that is more about others than their own stats. He is. And it’s because he knows the only way to build back his Hall-of-Fame resume is to get back to winning games.”
Amen. Scoreboard first. Me second.
Need me to set up our bell cow? No problemo, coach. Need me to roll up the sleeves and grind? Got it. Need me out of the way? All good. Need me to make magic late in the game? Awesome, won’t let you down. Whatever it takes.
Scoreboard first. Me second.
Big Russ has always tried to sound like Aaron Gordon, even if half of it left you rolling your eyes. The difference this fall is that he’s actually playing like Mr. Nugget, too, setting ego aside for the sake of a three-game winning streak.
The Broncos are 4-1, and 3-0 since Oct. 20, when DangeRuss throws it fewer than 30 times per game. Over the first five weeks of the season, Wilson averaged 32.6 pass attempts per tilt. Denver went 1-4. In the four weeks since, that number’s down to 24.8 throws per game.
No shock: The Broncos are 3-1 in those four contests, and it’s one of the core reasons why the Orange & Blue are riding a heater into Sunday night’s showdown with Minnesota at Empower Field.
“We’ve got a lot of guys that are touching the football and doing great things,” Wilson said Thursday. “We always want to also be physical in the run game, too, down there.
“And it’s everybody. It’s all 11 (guys). And I think the coaches really get us prepared. You know, you guys (in the media) see our Friday and Saturday practices and the intensity of the detail that coach (Sean) Payton, has us all (following) along, and it’s great.”
Dang straight.
Scoreboard first. Me second.
Broncos wideout Courtland Sutton posted a “Russell Wilson Apology Form” on his Instagram feed a few days ago, giving us all an out for piling on Big Russ last fall.
“Reason For Behavior:
__ The media convinced me Russ was the problem, not Hackett
__ I didn’t actually watch the games last season
__ I’m a Seahawks fan/I’m a Geno Smith supporter
__ I only looked at advanced statistics and analytics
__ I don’t know (expletive) about football.
“I will herby respect Russell Wilson and I will NOT talk (expletive) about the future first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
Sorry, Court. We all watched that Colts game last year. The one that almost killed Al Michaels.
Four and five is light years from where this ship was sailing in September, granted. But it’s also 4-5. You and Big Russ land this plane in the postseason, buddy, then we’ll beg for forgiveness. Forgiveness and playoff tickets.
“I’m just focused on playing great football,” Wilson said Thursday when I asked about his doubters. “It’s about my teammates and what we’re doing. I know who I am. I don’t need anybody’s approval.”
He does need Payton’s, though. And yes, that trust seems … limited. Lord knows if it’s sustainable — six points off four takeaways in Buffalo ain’t ideal. But the two have found a formula, a groove, that works, to everybody’s credit. Even if that formula is basically borrowed from Pete Carroll circa 2013.
In the meantime, why not let Russ microwave? He’s two scores away from hitting 20 passing touchdowns over 10 games. If Wilson puts up one more game of multiple passing scores with zero picks, he’ll have three of those in a row, a first for a Broncos quarterback in nine years. The last guy to pull that off? Peyton Manning.
Scoreboard first. Me second.
“For me, it’s (not about) critics or anything,” WIlson said. “I just focus on what God gave me. I thank God every day that he gave me the gift of playing this game. It’s a tremendous gift. I love it. I’m obsessed with it. I get to play with great teammates every day. Great coaching. And that’s what I love to do.
“It’s my 12th year. And like I told you guys, (if) I can have 20 years and make 19 of them great, and that’s what I’m (given), I wouldn’t complain.”
There’s a reason the Broncos are on fire. It’s not the heat. It’s the humility.
