Broncos' Four Training Camp Keys to Unlock Regular-Season Success
There are four important keys that every NFL team needs to develop in training camp if they are to convert success in practice into the regular season. The Denver Broncos are no exception.
The Broncos were missing some or all of these traits in last year’s camp, so, correspondingly, success in the regular season didn't come to fruition. Is this Broncos team accomplishing these important tasks?
After 13 practices, the Broncos are getting there, without a doubt. Let's examine where the Broncos stand on each one.
Team Camaraderie
This isn't an easy performance metric to measure. However, elements of it can be seen in practice, and it's apparent that Sean Payton’s leadership is melding the players into a closely-knit group.
The players are not getting into altercations on a regular basis, and how they're acting with each other is pointing to a bond being formed. The camaraderie is visible. I witnessed a couple of examples on Day 7 and Day 9.
Undrafted rookie offensive lineman Henry Byrd leveled veteran rush linebacker Frank Clark on an outside running play. Clark, an experienced vet, could have taken offense or gotten angry since Byrd is a long shot to make the roster. Instead, Clark rose to his feet, exchanged congratulatory remarks with Byrd, and they slapped each other on the back.
Another was Russell Wilson being on the sideline with the rest of the team, watching the second and third-teamers running 11-on-11 drills. When rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin made an excellent play, something he has been doing all camp, Wilson jogged out from the rest of the team to be the first to congratulate his performance.
Both are examples of the team coming together from the top players to those just trying to make the team.
Handling the Mental Grind
The players also seem to be managing this aspect well. Other than back-to-back false starts during the same drill, there haven't been many unnecessary mistakes.
The execution on offense has improved daily, indicating the players are learning from their past errors and trusting the process. When the Broncos had referees on the field, the flags that were thrown weren't typically the type of laundry that falls due to boneheaded penalties.
This isn't to say that the Broncos are error-free and haven't made mistakes. They have, but the team has learned from those and improved. The players appear more focused and are getting the mental aspect.
Playing Well When Fatigued
The answer to this key is still to be determined. It's still early in training camp, and this would be better evaluated after another week.
However, the Broncos' offense has executed much better during the two-minute drill as camp has marched ahead. The defense continues to be relentless even if the offense has gotten the better of them more recently.
This would indicate that the Broncos are still putting in quality work when they've been grinding it out the past two weeks.
Getting Quality Reps
The final key could also use more time for proper evaluation. With that said, there are no wasted plays under Payton’s leadership. It's been either correct execution or a learning experience in camp.
Each drill or play has been deliberate, and from the outside looking in, those exercises are of quality. The execution of the entire team on a 47-yard Wilson deep pass to Jerry Jeudy for a touchdown in the two-minute drill was the most exciting example, but the proper reps leading up to that play were building to that moment.
Bottom Line
Training camp isn't quite over, and the full evaluation is yet to be made. Being there to experience it firsthand really shed light on the positive development toward properly unlocking these four important keys.
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