In a spectacle that left 60,186 fans breathless, Broncos’ quarterback Russell Wilson engaged in an unexpected duel with Bailey Zappe during the third quarter at the Empower Field at Mile High. The arena fell into a hushed silence, shattered only by Wilson’s fourth-quarter heroics—two touchdowns and flawless two-point conversions.
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Yet, joy turned to despair as a last-gasp Hail Mary fell incomplete, extinguishing the Broncos’ playoff dreams for the 2023 season. Undeterred, Wilson declared, “We’ve got two games left, and we’ve got to keep fighting and find a way to win.”
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At 7-8 with two games remaining, the Broncos face an uphill battle for the No. 7 AFC wild-card playoff spot, with four teams standing ahead. Postseason glory has eluded them since their 2015 triumph. A shocking setback against the injury-ridden 3-11 Patriots, trailing 23-7 late in the third quarter, exposed their vulnerability.
Wilson’s arm ignited in the fourth quarter, turning a daunting deficit into a thrilling encounter. A 47-yard throw-on-the-run to Marvin Mims Jr. set up a short touchdown pass to Lucas Krull. However, Wilson’s earlier struggles and cautious play-calling were evident.
Entering at 7-7, the Broncos faltered against the Patriots, derailing playoff ambitions. Wilson’s ill-fated pass in the red zone prompted Coach Payton to rein in the playbook. Despite a late surge, Wilson’s magic couldn’t secure a third consecutive scoring drive, allowing the Patriots to clinch victory with a field goal.
Russell Wilson gets in fans’ bad books after Patriots game
The fans were all over Russell Wilson. When the team was down, so was his twitter stock. Look at the following fan comments:
Russell Wilson now that he can’t be bailed out by Courtland Sutton bombs pic.twitter.com/wHwc6UZU8A
— Michael (@RespectDaNatlon) December 25, 2023
Russell Wilson on first and second down with 4:30 left in a one-possession game pic.twitter.com/PSgxWMDnXn
— Depressed Pats Fan (@macorklejones) December 25, 2023
Russell Wilson is done in Denver.
Look at this play. His offensive line looks at him on the ground, following a sack… and they just walk away.
He’s DONE. pic.twitter.com/Yf0aGHTLnU
— WesternTrade20 (@westerntrade20) December 25, 2023
Hope the Broncos fans enjoyed their short lived “we won the Russell Wilson trade” era. Back to the basement for y’all! pic.twitter.com/NYQqzk4cLx
— Gregory King (@GeeK253) December 25, 2023
But then came the fans. As the Broncos started coming back in the game, Russ fans marked their territory:
Everyone switching up on Russell Wilson now?
NAW STAY ON DAT SIDE, ONLY ME AND MY DAWGS CAN CELEBRATE pic.twitter.com/EQFRLh0tFk
— Michael (@RespectDaNatlon) December 25, 2023
It was a roller coaster ride for all Denver fans. As well as those in New England watching if their team will make the first pick overall. They might not get to that, but with the Jets winning this week, they sure do end up last in their division. The first time since Coach Belichick’s first year in the team.
