Monday morning quarterbacks are hotly debating Gary Kubiak’s decision to attempt a 62-yard field goal in overtime that would have delivered a win for the Broncos on Sunday Night Football. Brandon McManus, as most fans who weren’t still feeling the effects of Thanksgiving turkey saw, missed and the Kansas City Chiefs went on to kick their own game-winner from a much shorter distance.
Mile High Sports’ own Doug Ottewill stands behind the decision. Others aren’t so convinced.
The debate will rage, no doubt. But as it does, it’s worth giving a read to what the Broncos themselves were saying postgame about “The Decision.”
Despite the outcome, they stand firmly behind the call. Here’s what the team had to say, courtesy of Broncos PR…
Head Coach Gary Kubiak
On sending Brandon McManus out for a 62-yard field goal
“My thing is that we’re going to try to win around here. I made that decision and it just didn’t work out. I have a lot of confidence in Brandon. I have a lot of confidence in our football team. That’s why I made that decision.”
On the decision to attempt the 62-yard field goal in overtime
“It was very tough. The fact that we had no timeouts made me want to go in that direction. If you did have your timeouts maybe you think about punting it down there and see if you can get the ball back. I don’t know. We’re going to try to win. I’ve seen ‘B-Mac’ do that many times in practice. It’s on me. I just gave them a chance. I thought we could do it and we didn’t get it done. Give them credit.”
Kicker Brandon McManus
On his 62-yard field goal attempt overtime
“I kicked the ground and with that distance you can’t kick the ground. I can probably make that kick eight or nine out of ten times, so I’m disappointed in that. When you’re that far, you just want to hit a good ball and give it a chance. From that distance, if you kick the ground you probably have a five percent chance to make it.”
On how kicking the ground affected his kick
“I kicked the ground on the other one in overtime, too. It’s just sometimes it happens. From that distance, something like that really can’t happen in order for you to make it. It’s still well within my range. From that distance, everything kind of needs to be perfect just because of how far you are away. It didn’t happen to me.”
On Head Coach Gary Kubiak having confidence in him to make a field goal from 60-plus yards
“He’s seen me do it in practice. I was grateful for the opportunity. As a kicker, you dream of a 60-yard field goal to win. I’m disappointed in my effort for the result.”
On talking with Coach Kubiak about his field goal range
“In pregame we go through a yard line that is about an 80 percent make and desperation type kicks. We do that in pregame and in overtime again and go over those numbers again.”
Linebacker Von Miller
On the decision to kick the 62-yard field goal in overtime
“I’m with it. ‘B-Mac’ [K Brandon McManus], he’s one of the best kickers in the National Football League. I’m with ‘Kube’ [Head Coach Gary Kubiak] on that one. What are we playing [for]? Are we going to play for a tie or are we trying to win the game? I’m 100-percent behind ‘Kube’ right there. If we’re looking at it again, we have one of the best defenses in the National Football League. Let’s try this field goal and we’ll stop them. I wouldn’t just play for the tie, either. I’m 100-percent behind ‘Kube’ and the coaching staff. ‘B-Mac’ is the man. It’s a tough position that he was in, but he can make those. If we had to do it all over again, I would do it again.”
Cornerback Chris Harris
On the decision to have K Brandon McManus attempt the 62-yard field goal
“We’ve got confidence in B-Mac. We’ve seen him kick 60-yarders. We know he’s got the leg strength to do it. It just didn’t go in today.”