After Week One blunder, Nathan Hackett refines “end-of-game” process

Week One ended with a game that ended with one of the most bizarre coaching decisions in a key moment in recent years. After days of quotes that created more confusion than clarity as to whether coach Nathaniel Hackett realizes what he did wrong and what he needs to do right, Hackett reportedly is making some changes.

Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported during the Sunday pregame show that Hackett “spent some time with his staff refining their end-of-game process.” That’s good, even if it underscores just how poor the end-of-game process was six days ago.

Jones added that Hackett “admitted his error publicly and “showed similar humility in the building.” Hopefully, the private display was more convincing than Hackett’s public comments.

Although Hackett initially said on Tuesday that, in lieu of trying a 64-yard field goal, the Broncos should have tried to convert a fourth and five, it quickly became clear that he was basing his statement on the fact that the field goal missed. Hackett then defended his plan, his plan, his plan. But it was a bad plan, and it was a bad plan he refused to abandon.

Is it really an end-of-game issue, if that was the plan all along? In a late-game moment, get the ball to the 46 and assume that Brandon McManus will make a 64-yard field goal — even if he previously was one for eight from 60 yards or longer?

This still feels like an exercise in turd polishing and wagon circling, frankly. Hackett has never fully and completely acknowledged the mistake publicly.

It would be interesting to know what Hackett said to justify the conclusion that he showed “similar humility in the building.” Given that he showed no real humility publicly, how much could he have shown privately?

After Week One blunder, Nathan Hackett refines “end-of-game” process originally appeared on Pro Football Talk