Ever since the NHL playoffs ended for the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Broncos fans have been clamoring for the chance to sit in the red-hot sun and watch their team…practice. After a week-plus of doing so, watching a seemingly endless number of drills has gotten a little stale. After all, it’s practice, man…
It’s time for football fans all over the region to watch their team play a game – even one that doesn’t count for much. Then the real evaluations can begin.
Yes, coaches can see and learn things from watching practice. But most fans really can’t. So saying that the Broncos’ offense isn’t good enough because they aren’t regularly getting the best of one of the league’s top defenses – who knows what’s about to come at them, in most situations – isn’t a true gauge of where this offense is, or will be. The same sentiments are likely floating around in other NFL cities like say, Houston, for example.
The only real test for the Broncos’ offense will come when they line up against guys in different -olored jerseys who don’t work out of the same playbook. How much, if any, the Broncos’ projected starters play in these three upcoming preseason/exhibition games isn’t really the issue (although we’d like to see some of the first unit, right?) It’s about how the offense looks – regardless of the quarterback – at getting in and out of the huddle. It’s about how the receivers look making contested catches. It’s how much emphasis they put on the running game, and who looks good carrying the ball between the tackles. How much will tight end Evan Engram be targeted… and will he make plays?
Can the Denver offense be more physical?
That’s really all we need to see from a veteran group who has been to the AFC title game and most certainly knows what it needs to do to get back there. This offseason, they made small tweaks as opposed to big changes. Even having the head coach relinquish play calling duties – which was very much the right thing to do – is not the major deal some think it is. This will still be Sean Payton’s offense, and week-to-week, it will still be his game plan. He’s just asking Davis Webb to execute it.
The defense doesn’t have any major question marks. But we still want to see little things: can the players who backed up John Franklin-Myers last season step in with no drop off? Can Riley Moss continue his stellar play without getting flagged for pass interference multiple times a game? Can the inside linebackers hold up in pass coverage? Can the Broncos turn all those sacks and all that quarterback pressure into more short fields for the offense by creating more badly needed turnovers?
There’s a good reason Payton has chosen to “run it back” this season rather than make any major roster changes. It’s so he and his coaches don’t have big questions that will need to be answered. It’s great to be able to know that the players know the expectations and the regimen needed to reach them. It’s great to have the trust factor on your side.
The biggest, most important question of all that will start to be answered Friday night in Atlanta; Can the entire team stay healthy before facing Kansas City on September 14th?
Forget watching practice. We can’t get to Arrowhead fast enough.
