Even the Dolphins think Russell Wilson deserved better.
Wilson played every offensive snap in the Broncos’ 70-20 loss fo the Dolphins with the game well out of hand for the majority of the second half.
“That was totally disrespectful,” Dolphins cornerbackk Xavien Howard said of coach Sean Payton’s decision to stick with Wilson, per Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.
“That man did a lot for this game. They’ve got to do better on that side. You can’t be leaving guys like that out there.”
The 34-year-old was hit 12 times in the game, including one sack, as many of the other Broncos starters stayed in the one-sided game.
Wilson had the wind knocked out of him in the second half on a hit by Dolphins defensive end Christian Wilkins.
Yet, backup Jarrett Stidham did not enter the game once.
Wilson said he had “never experienced” anything like that in his NFL career, which is understandable since the 50-point loss is one of the biggest blowouts in NFL history.
Wilson completed 23 out of 38 passes for 306 yards with one touchdown and one interception on the day.
“There’s also a lot of perspective to understand that 0-3 doesn’t feel good, but the reality is we’ve got 14 games left,” Wilson told reporters afterward.
“You’ve got to put your blinders on, and you’ve got to know that this is a race. You’ve got to know it’s a journey. You’ve got to know that it’s a battle. You’ve got to know that you’re starting in the far outside lane. All we can do is keep focused on the fundamentals and the details. That’s what will get us to where we want to go. It’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be a journey.”
Even when the Dolphins pulled their quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, Payton continued to get minutes out of Wilson.
However, Denver has bigger issues to face.
Its defense is allowing nearly 40 points per game though their 0-3 start.
“We had our opportunities offensively early,” Payton said. “Two penalties take touchdowns off the board.”
The good news for the Broncos is that will have a chance to get their first win of the season when they take on the equally hapless 0-3 Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday.
“We have to be focused on what’s ahead of us,” Wilson said. “And that’s trying to get ready to go play the Chicago Bears on the road.”
