KJ Hamler Livid After Botched 4th-&-1: 'I Could Have Walked in'

The Denver Broncos' locker room could be fracturing.

On 4th-&-1, in overtime, with the game on the line, Russell Wilson missed a wide-open KJ Hamler inside that would have given the Denver Broncos a touchdown and a victory over the Indianapolis Colts. 

Alas, Wilson stared down Courtland Sutton, and fired off a pass that was broken up by Stephon Gilmore in the end zone. 

Ball game. 

The Colts won, 12-9. Hamler was livid. 

KJ Hamler was NOT happy after this game… pic.twitter.com/G1jzaa5Msj

— DenverAA (@NuggetsAAccess) October 7, 2022

As you'll see in the tweet below, Wilson had a blessed window open up on the right that would have easily seen Hamler score, if the Broncos' QB had eyes to see. 

KJ Hamler was slamming his helmet after the game. For good reason... pic.twitter.com/l5BbcyEeGt

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 7, 2022

Here's the full play at live-bullet speed. 

And the @Colts walk away with the W in OT. #INDvsDEN on Prime Video
Also available on NFL+ https://t.co/qcjXnKGOp7 pic.twitter.com/rApHGVBy70

— NFL (@NFL) October 7, 2022

Hamler lingered on the field while the Broncos hung their collective heads and zombie-marched into the locker room. Hamler provided a nice little quote to NFL Network's James Palmer that is unlikely to ingratiate himself with his new quarterback. 

"I could have walked in," Hamler said. 

#broncos WR K.J. Hamler to me on the final play of the game. “I could have walked in.”

— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 7, 2022

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A big part of Hamler's frustration, no doubt, is the fact that he played 39 snaps but only garnered one reception on two targets for 10 yards. This after he received just four snaps the game prior but still managed to produce a big 55-yard catch. 

The Broncos are reeling right now. A big reason why this team has become a national punchline is due to Wilson's performance, or lack thereof. 

Wilson finished Thursday night's crapfest 21-of-39 for 274 yards and zero touchdowns with two interceptions. Both picks were bad, ugly throws borne of a bad decision. 

Traditionally, Wilson saves his best play for crunch-time and Broncos fans have seen that twice this year in the team's wins over Houston and San Francisco. Against the Indianapolis Colts, Wilson failed to get into anything even remotely resembling a rhythm, but he saved his worst play for the clutch. 

Wilson fell on the sword post-game, but it was cold comfort to a fan base so disheartened by the Broncos that fans could be seen exiting the stadium in droves of disgust between the fourth quarter and overtime period. An unprecedented spectacle in Broncos canon. 

Thursday night's loss is the type that can rip a team apart internally and create chasms too wide to bridge. It would appear that Denver's dark days aren't in the rear-view. 

Head coach Nathaniel Hackett is also under heavy criticism for opting to go for it on 4th-&-1 instead of kicking a game-tying chip-shot field goal that would have made it very likely that the Broncos left the field in a tie with the Colts. It was the right call. Wilson just failed to execute.

Now the Broncos get 10 long days to lick their wounds and find some way to regroup and come together. Otherwise, the NFL precipice awaits. 

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