Kyle Newman, Denver Post Broncos writer

JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser each week during the 2022 regular season will speak with a writer or media member covering the Jaguars’ opponent.

Denver Post Broncos writer Kyle Newman on the Broncos as they enter Sunday’s 2022 Week 8 game against the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London.

Q: The Broncos hired Nathaniel Hackett as head coach this offseason and traded with the Seattle Seahawks for quarterback Russell Wilson. They’re now 2-5 and last in the AFC West, having lost four consecutive games – including a 16-9 home loss to the New York Jets this past Sunday. What is the state of the Broncos entering Sunday?

A: It’s total panic out here in Broncos Country. Everyone looked at this season and the way the schedule set up and they said, “OK, first half before the bye, we can really get some momentum under Russ with this new offense. Hackett. Mojo. All the juice.” That’s all gone out the window. We saw Nathaniel Hackett on Zoom Monday. He looked pretty ragged. He looked like a first-year head coach who is going through a 2-5 season. More than anything, people are wondering, “Uh-oh. Was Seattle right? Did they the Broncos] pull the trigger on trading for Russ at the wrong time?” Plus: The Broncos gave Wilson a five-year extension before he even played a down. Was that a little premature? Secondly, everybody’s wondering if Nathaniel Hackett can be a head coach in the NFL. So far, the consensus from fans and media is no. He has some work to do not only in London but after the Week 9 bye to make sure he’s not on the hot seat and to make sure he has a job for Year 2 here.

Q: Were expectations just too high?

A: Expectations were too high. In the preseason, Hackett and Russ weren’t afraid to say not just that the playoffs were the goal, but that Super Bowl was the goal. Not only are we seeing the growing pains of a first-year head coach, but a first-year head coach with a new quarterback, a quarterback trying to find his way in the system. Maybe the biggest…