Russell Wilson’s Struggles in Loss to Chiefs: Aiming to Improve Performance

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Despite the beleaguered Denver Broncos defense putting up a strong performance against the high-powered Kansas City Chiefs, quarterback Russell Wilson suffered through one of the worst games of his career in a disappointing 19-8 loss at Arrowhead Stadium. This defeat dropped the Broncos to a woeful 1-5 record on Thursday.

In a slightly somber tone, Wilson admitted, “We had a chance. We’ve got to play better, cleaner. I’ve got to play better. That starts with me.”

Wilson seemed to be finding his rhythm in coach Sean Payton’s offense, with two 300-yard passing games in the first three weeks of the season. However, he struggled against the New York Jets, and Thursday’s game was reminiscent of the difficulties he faced in 2022, when he recorded career-lows in touchdown passes and career-highs in sacks.

Against the Chiefs, Wilson completed 13-of-22 passes for just 95 yards, throwing a touchdown and two interceptions. It marked the first time in his 12-year career that he finished a game with less than 150 passing yards and two interceptions.

Wilson had four passes deflected at the line of scrimmage and was sacked four times during the game.

Overall, the Broncos struggled offensively, as they had eight possessions that resulted in 34 yards or less. They failed to put together a scoring drive until the fourth quarter, when Courtland Sutton made an impressive one-handed catch for a touchdown with 6 minutes and 7 seconds remaining.

All of this happened on a night when the Broncos’ defense managed to limit the Chiefs to just one touchdown.

“Offensively, we had difficulty throwing the ball, and our third-down conversions were poor,” commented coach Payton. “Defensively, we played well enough, but offensively… from a third-down perspective and sustaining drives, we struggled until late in the game… To succeed in our league, you need to be better at passing the ball. I don’t believe the wind was a significant factor.”

Speaking about the Chiefs’ defense, Wilson said, “They implemented various strategies. The first interception was on me. They made a great play on the ball that bounced up on the second interception… That’s part of the game… They made good plays tonight. They’re a solid defense.”

With this loss, Wilson’s record as a starter for the Broncos now stands at 4-16. In 2022, the Broncos made a significant trade with the Seattle Seahawks, sending five draft picks, including two first-round and two second-round picks, along with three players, to acquire Wilson.