Russell Wilson: I Don't Think It Was 'Wrong Decision' for Broncos to Try 64-Yard FG

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson said he doesn't blame head coach Nathaniel Hackett for trying a 64-yard field goal with kicker Brandon McManus late in Monday night's 17-16 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Wilson described McManus as "the best field-goal kicker maybe in the game" and said that distance was the range he provided the offense before the final drive:

The biggest surprise wasn't that the Broncos tried the 64-yard kick, which came on 4th-and-5 with 20 seconds left. It was the lack of urgency throughout the drive.

Denver started with the ball on its own 22 with 4:02 left in the fourth quarter, and the team also had all three of its timeouts. That's more than enough time to move the ball down the field for a touchdown, let alone a field goal.

Wilson and Co. frequently used almost the entire 40-second play clock before running a play, including after their final third-down play. They initially lined up like they were going to go for it on fourth down before calling a timeout to try the long kick.

McManus missed wide left as the Seahawks held on for the victory in Wilson's return to Seattle following the blockbuster offseason trade that landed him in Denver.

"We were right on the line [of McManus' range],'' Hackett told reporters. "Brandon gave it his best shot. ... Obviously, I wish we would have gotten a lot closer, it put us in that weird spot because we were in that field-goal range. ... We just made that decision and take our shot there.''

It's a tough pill to swallow for the Broncos because the margin for error in the AFC West, which features four legitimate contenders, will be small by season's end. Letting a winnable game slip through their grasp on opening night is a lost opportunity.

Denver will look to pick up its first win of the year Sunday when it returns home to Empower Field at Mile High for a clash with the Houston Texans.