Denver Broncos wide receiver KJ Hamler slammed his helmet in frustration following an incomplete pass that sealed the 12-9 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Denver faced fourth-and-1 from the 5-yard-line in overtime and elected to go for it and throw instead of kick a field goal. Hamler got wide open on the slant to Russell Wilson's right side, but the QB never looked his way, ultimately forcing a throw to Courtland Sutton against Stephon Gilmore that fell incomplete.
"I could have walked in," a frustrated Hamler told NFL Network's James Palmer after the game.
The play epitomized a Broncos offense that can't get out of its own way and has been particularly dreadful in the red zone through five games -- 0-of-4 Thursday night.
"We went down the field quickly (in overtime)," Hamler said, via the Denver Post. "We get into the red zone, into that 'gold zone,' we've just got to learn how to keep pushing and how to finish. We can't keep coming up empty down there. ... We're capable of scoring 40 points (a game), especially with the quarterback we have."
The Broncos haven't been close to scoring 40 points in any contest. They've scored just 64 total points in five games, with four tilts below the 20-point mark.
Twice the Broncos had a chance Thursday night to run the ball in key spots. Twice they put it in Wilson's hands. Twice he came up short.
First, leading by three points in the fourth quarter ahead of the two-minute warning and facing a third-and-4, the Broncos, who had been running well on the drive, could have pounded the rock and, at the very least, kicked a field goal to go up six. Given how the defense had shut down Matt Ryan and the Colts all game, it could have been enough for the win. Instead, Wilson forced a ball to Tyrie Cleveland that was intercepted.
Then on the final play, needing just a yard to continue the drive near the goal line, the Broncos again eschewed the run and didn't even call a rollout for Wilson to have the option to scamper for the first down.
The sequence of events left Richard Sherman, Wilson's former Seahawks teammate and current Prime Video analyst, perplexed.
"On the final play, you got to run the ball," Sherman said. "Again. I wish I had Marshawn (Lynch) up here. One yard. You need one yard. Run the ball. Run the ball! All he has to do is run the football. Like, necessary criticism. I've said enough criticism for him. But God dang it, run the dang ball!"
Everyone involved with or watching the Broncos offense is frustrated at this point.
