The Broncos may be boring, but that’s not a bad thing
Jul 24, 2019, 6:21 AM | Updated: 1:28 pm
Yawn.
That’s the first word that comes to mind when describing the first week of Broncos training camp. By and large, the media BBQ and five days of practice have resulted in a collective case of drowsiness in Denver.
All anyone has to do in order to get a sense of this is spend a little time on the hillside with the fans. It takes one session of training camp to get a clear picture.
In addition, there isn’t much to get excited about during practice. Team warm-ups have generated the biggest cheers on most days, as big plays and huge ovations have been few and far between. That’s the byproduct of an offense that hasn’t stretched the field a lot with long passes; it’s hard to get too pumped about check-down throws to the tight end.
In other words, the 2019 edition of the Broncos looks to be, well, boring. And that’s okay.
Quite frankly, a team that’s making a bunch of headlines in July is probably doing it for all of the wrong reasons. Controversies, injuries, high-profile position battles, suspensions, questionable signings – those things generate a lot of talk during camp, but they don’t usually translate into wins come September and beyond.
That’s certainly been the case the past three years in Denver. Training camps in 2016, ’17 and ’18 were all filled with intrigue, but the team went a combined 20-28 during those campaigns.
A quarterback battle would certainly make practice more interesting, giving everyone the chance to break down every throw made by the combatants. But having a clear-cut No. 1 behind center has finally allowed the Broncos to spend training camp getting the first-team offense in sync. And based on early results, they clearly need the time to get on the same page.
MORE BRONCOS | The latest from “Training Camp 2019: Road to Redemption”
Fights between the Pro Bowl wide receiver and All-Pro cornerback certainly spice things up a bit, providing an easy post-practice storyline for the gathered media. But that type of discord between the offense and the defense, when one group is clearly tired of having to carry the other, doesn’t create an atmosphere that is going remain positive during the ups and downs of a long, 16-game season.
We’ve seen that stuff before. It’s nice to be without it for a change.
That type of nonsense has been non-existent through the first week of training camp. So too have other distractions like music during practice, a head coach who doesn’t seem to know how he’s supposed to answer the most basic questions and signing one of the NFL’s most-notorious bad boys – all things that were prevalent since the Broncos hoisted the Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl 50.
Training camp is supposed to be a place for teaching and studying. The coaches are the professors, while the players are the pupils. Removing things that aren’t conducive to learning is a positive move.
So too is having an offense that isn’t going to break any NFL scoring records.
Sure, it’d be great if Denver had playmakers all over the field, a first-rate offensive line and a gunslinger at quarterback; that’d be fun to watch on a weekly basis. But that’s not how the roster is built.
BRONCOS CAMP | All the info fans headed to UCHealth Training Center need to know
The Broncos have primarily invested on the defensive side of the ball; that’s where their best players reside. So they’re counting on Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr., Bradley Chubb, Kareem Jackson, Bryce Callahan, Derek Wolfe and others to carry them to victory.
How does a team win by riding their defense? By playing relatively boring football.
In 2019, Denver’s offense needs to not get them beat. They need to avoid three-and-outs, which resulted in the defense being on the field too much in past seasons. They need to avoid turnovers, which bailed out opponents by giving them a short field. And they need to capitalize on opportunities when they arise, which didn’t happen enough under Trevor Siemian and Case Keenum.
The Broncos will do that by running the ball, with a healthy dose of Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman on a game-in, game-out basis. They’ll also do it by having Joe Flacco check down to tight ends and running backs, avoiding costly interceptions. And they’ll do it by having a quarterback who can make the big throw when he needs to, like converting a fourth-and-10 throw during a end-of-game drill at Monday’s practice.
Denver will also get it done by playing smart football. Take a knee when a kickoff comes into the end zone instead of running it out to the 12-yard line. Avoid penalties that keep drives alive for the opposition or put Flacco in a bad down-and-distance situation. Be willing to accept the fact that any drive ending with a kick – punt, field goal or extra point – is a good one.
If the Broncos can consistently force teams to drive 80 yards on their defense in order to score touchdowns, they’ll be fine. If they give them shorter fields, with only three plays of rest between drives, they’ll be in trouble.
Denver needs the scoreboard to read 14-10 or 20-17 when the clock strikes 00:00 at the end of the fourth quarter this season. That’s their recipe for success; they aren’t built to win shootouts.
The best way to make those finals a reality, with the Broncos on the right side of the outcome, is to play a conservative brand of football. That’s why what’s happening at training camp shouldn’t be seen as a negative; it’s a sign that the plan is getting implemented.
The Broncos are going to be boring in 2019. And that’s a good thing.
