DENVER — Bronco fans may be tepid about the individual accomplishments Russell Wilson has achieved in his career because whatever they are, he has yet to do enough for them.
But in the name of overall good, it’s OK to remember Wilson has been a special NFL player. In a 35-33 loss Sunday to Washington – a score that suggests the Broncos have far greater problems than their quarterback -- Wilson surpassed a statistical threshold in which he became the only player in NFL history to surpass both 40,000 passing yards and 5,000 rushing yards.
Wilson has picked up 4,009 yards passing and 334 rushing yards in 17 games with the Broncos; the rest of his stats were compiled over 10 seasons in Seattle. Add it up and you have an extraordinary athlete who can pass.
“You want to win the game. I think that’s what matters most,’’ Wilson said Wednesday during his weekly press conference. “In those moments it’s definitively a cool thing. When you’re growing up as a young kid, I watched guys like Steve Young and Joe Montana, Michael Vick and the Randall Cunninghams and Donovan McNabbs of the world, a lot of other great quarterbacks.”
Wilson picked some good quarterbacks who compare well to him – but not quite well enough. Quarterbacks listed in order of career rushing yards:
QB …. Pass yards … Rush yards
Vick …..……. 22,464 ..… 6,109
Newton …… 32,382 ….. 5,628
Wilson* ….. 41,068 ….. 5,023
Others
Cunningham … 29,979 … 4,928
L. Jackson* …… 12,615 … 4,529
S. Young ..…….. 33,124 … 4,239
Tarkenton ….… 47,003 … 3,674
McNair ………… 31,304 … 3,590
Rodgers* ……… 59,055 … 3,466
McNabb …….…. 37,276 … 3,459
Elway ……………. 51,475 … 3,407
J. Allen* ……..… 18,907 … 3,310
Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen figure to eventually pass Wilson’s rushing totals if they stay healthy but they have a long ways to the 40,000 passing yard milestone.
“To do something like that is a blessing,’’ Wilson said. “It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of great teammates, a lot of great coaching, a lot of just great moments. When you’re a young kid in Richmond, Va., growing up and you’re 7, 8, 9 years old and you’re visualizing being in the NFL one day and telling your mom and dad, “I’m going to play in the NFL. I’m going to be on TV and your dad is saying, ‘Yeah, you can do it, son.’
And then you’re doing it, it’s kind of surreal. But there’s more to do, though. There’s a lot more to do.”
Starting this Sunday at Miami where the Broncos will likely need a big game from Wilson if they are to keep up on the scoreboard with the high-powered Dolphins. In both his games this season, Wilson has been terrific in the first half – 23 of 27, 279 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions for a 149.3 passer rating; but 22 of 39 for 206 yards, only 1 touchdown and 1 interception in the second half for a 69.0 rating.
“I think we have to play cleaner in the third quarter,’’ Wilson said. Indeed, Wilson’s 33.8 passer rating in the third quarter is his worst among the four quarters. “Coming out (out of halftime), the third quarter is really an important quarter, especially when we get the ball. That’s the focus.”
Sean Payton, the Broncos’ head coach and offensive game planner and play caller, said he and his staff reduced the wording in play calls on Tuesday night.
But doesn’t reducing the verbiage mean there is less from the mouth but more for the brain to remember?
“Not necessarily,’’ Wilson said with a smile. “The verbiage is good. We just need to be a little quicker. That’s it. The faster we can go the better. Getting in and out. Getting on and off the field. Get up to the line, all those different things. Calling it a little quicker in the huddle when we can. There’s so many different things all added together.’’
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