Former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett’s tenure as head coach of the Denver Broncos has been anything but shagadelic thus far.
Despite not landing Aaron Rodgers in the off-season, the Denver Broncos thought they struck gold with Hackett at the helm and newly-acquired Russell Wilson under center. The NFC execs also thought so and put Denver in five primetime games. After resting in football purgatory since Peyton Manning retired, it looked like the Broncos might return to relevance.
But the Broncos have been terrible. Despite having one of the league’s better defenses, Denver’s offense has been a chore to watch. Wilson’s poor play and Hackett’s inability to work off-script have put them at 2-4.
Yet even though Hackett’s head coaching career is off to a less-than-encouraging start, his old team, the Packers, would love to have him back as an offensive coordinator. While the 2022 season is still young, Hackett’s promotion isn’t working out for him or his old team.
On the Denver side of things, Hackett and Wilson were supposed to be a huge offensive upgrade over Vic Fangio and Drew Lock/Teddy Bridgewater. But Broncos Country isn’t riding the way their corny quarterback promised. ESPN’s Mike Clay expressed that despite having defensively a league-best 1.0 TD allowed per game, they have the league’s worst offensive TD scored per game, with 1.2.
The team has the second-best defense by ANY/A, with 474.7, but a 15.3 on offense. Wilson’s PFF passing grade is 58.7, good for 34th in the league. There are 32 teams in the National Football League. This isn’t the ride Broncos Country signed up for.
Wilson is missing open receivers in crucial, potentially game-winning moments, which isn’t helping. I’ll never pass up an opportunity to dunk on Wilson, but Hackett isn’t doing this team any favors. From a scheme that can’t adapt to poor clock management to baffling kick/punt decisions, Hackett is struggling with the big job. An alleged red-zone expert (called the “gold zone” when he was in Green Bay), the Broncos are one of the worst red-zone offenses.
Broncos insider Benjamin Allbright noted that while a first-time head coach needs time to figure things out and deserves a chance to correct their mistakes, Hackett’s performance hasn’t shown any signs of improvement after six games. If Hackett can’t fix the offense in a major way, h,e could be a one-and-done head coach.
Back in Green Bay, the offense continues to struggle. Aaron Rodgers isn’t playing to his usual standard, the offensive line is failing on a weekly basis, and the ball isn’t getting into the hands of the team’s best playmakers. Matt LaFleur is still a creative head coach, and the scheme itself is mostly working. On the tape, it’s clear wide receivers are consistently getting open. But mistakes keep getting made, and the Packers aren’t getting what they need from their best players.
We know the talent is there. Missing Davante Adams is obviously a huge bummer, but this team has plenty of weapons. Something isn’t working. It’s fair to wonder if Green Bay is missing Hackett (and former passing game coordinator-turned-Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Luke Getsy).
Losing two major offensive contributors was always going to be hard for the Packers. Even though Adam Stenavich has been with the team for years and is a valuable addition at OC, he’s still learning the additional duties.
But it feels like the Packers might not only be missing Hackett as a piece of the offensive puzzle. The gold-zone efficiency was down in 2021 when Hackett was still the coordinator.
There seems to be a lack of urgency and a sense of malaise affecting the Packers. They have looked lifeless in their losses. It was fair to assume that the team would be fired up after their international loss to the New York Giants, but they continued to languish against the New York Jets. The team has consistently struggled to punch back in any phase.
I don’t believe LaFleur has lost the locker room. This team has won more than it’s lost, and the head coach is still providing answers when pressed. Green Bay might not be preparing as properly as it once did. Something seems to be missing, and it could be the void left by Hackett.
Hackett held the team’s affection, and Rodgers constantly praised his energy and “goofball attitude” in the past. Hackett has consistently been viewed as an extremely intelligent and passionate man and a true player’s coach. He could install fun end-zone concepts while dressed as Austin Powers villain Goldmember, which is not a skill every coordinator possesses. Not having that sort of presence might have a bigger effect on the culture than expected.
Regardless, it’s clear that the Broncos aren’t on the new path they wished for, and the Packers have taken steps backward. It was awesome, if bittersweet, to see the beloved offensive coordinator get a shot at the big job. However, it hasn’t worked well for either party. The season is young, but neither team is trending in the right direction. There’s still time for both parties to right their respective ships, but it’s clear the split hasn’t worked out for Nathaniel Hackett or the Green Bay Packers.
