AFC Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

Regarding the Broncos electing to kick a 64-yard field goal instead of going for it on fourth-and-five, HC Nathaniel Hackett responded a day later they should have attempted to convert the fourth down.

“It’s one of those things where you look back at it and you say, ‘Of course we should go for it,’” Hackett said via Pro Football Talk. “We missed the field goal. But in that situation, we had a plan. We knew that 46 was the mark. We were third-and-15, I think, third-and-13. I’m more upset about that play before, to lose yards. Getting that there would have definitely been better able to call that same play and get extra yards, but he dumps it out to [RB] Javonte [Williams]. Javonte makes a move, goes a lot farther than I think we had anticipated. We were expecting to go for it on fourth down and then you hit the mark. The mark that we had all set before we started. We said 46-yard line was where we wanted to be, and we got there so we had to make a decision. We wanted to give it to [K]Brandon [McManun], and we did. It didn’t work, it sucks but that’s a part of it.”

Why play for a long, desperation field goal from K Brandon McManus when you have a future hall of fame quarterback in Russell Wilson? Hackett says he just believed that much in McManus. 

“I think that when you sit there and say, ‘We all know he has a big leg. He’s been kicking for a long time,’” Hackett said. “I wanted to give him that opportunity. I wanted to give him a chance to be able to win the game right there. He had the distance; it just went a little bit left. It’s just one of those things that’s unfortunate, but that was our plan going into it. Obviously, looking back at it, if you missed the field goal, you’re always going to wish you would have gone for it. If you would have gone for it and not gotten it, you wish you would have given him a chance. So that’s the crazy thing about this game.”

• Broncos RG Quinn Meinerz will miss about four weeks with a hamstring injury. (Mike Klis)

Despite having three sacks against his former team in the season opener, Chargers LB Khalil Mack still wasn’t satisfied. He added that he did enjoy his first game playing alongside LB Joey Bosa. 

“It wasn’t good enough. I left a lot of stuff out there and I have to get it corrected,” Mack said, via the Associated Press.

“It’s great to talk ball on the sideline and just communicate about what we get and what each offensive tackle is giving us,” Mack added. “So to bounce ideas off each other throughout the game is good.”

Chargers HC Brandon Staley is looking forward to playing against Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes with a defense that has game changers like Mack and Bosa.

“You need a team to be able to defend an offense like this, and certainly a player like Patrick,” Staley said. “Any time you are facing an offense that has weapons — running backs, receivers, tight ends — and that has an outstanding offensive line, you’re going to need the same thing on defense, that same type of formula. What Khalil does is he gives you that chance up front, both in the run game and the pass rush, to be able to impact the game. You need a lot more people than just your starting 11 to be able to defend a team like this.”

• The Chargers officially ruled WR Keenan Allen out for Week 2 with a quad injury.