[ad_1]
Kiz: OK, even a knucklehead like me is smart enough to get it. Never, ever put too much emphasis on NFL football in August, when the results don’t count in the standings. So I don’t care if the Broncos got trounced in Buffalo with their starters watching from the sideline. But can anyone around here be troubled to block or tackle? Does coach Nathaniel Hackett’s enlightened approach to the preseason give short shrift to football fundamentals?
O’Halloran: Where Hackett may be erring is not having the kind of practices that prepare the second- and third-teamers to play significantly in a preseason game. The Broncos’ offense can’t run block and the Broncos’ defense can’t stop the run. I think the team has come up short in practicing to the point where they can get a true evaluation of the back-of-the-roster guys.
Kiz: Players adore Hackett’s approach to training camp and exhibition games because it’s as cushy an experience as you’ll find anywhere this side of a day spa. What’s next? Pedicures for players? I don’t know if the Broncos rank last in hard knocks and big hits during the preseason, but I would be willing to bet Hackett ranks No. 1 in hugs delivered. Do we need to hear more pads popping before the real games start?
O’Halloran: Heck, backup nose tackle Mike Purcell hasn’t even had to play in the first two preseason games so Hackett’s approach isn’t limited to most of the starters. If I was Hackett, I would split the team into two groups this week in practice — the first-team guys who can walk-through the start of the Seattle game plan, and on the other field, full-pads workouts for the guys trying to earn roles or roster spots to get them ready for the Minnesota back-ups on Saturday night. What I would fear if I was a Broncos fan — does Hackett believe the starters can simply flip the switch when they began regular season practices around Labor Day? We’ll find out.
Kiz: I’m old and gray. But I’m not old school in my approach to football. I’ve long believed exhibition games are a waste of time for everyone except guys trying to make the team. So I applaud Hackett for protecting the health of quarterback Russell Wilson and his fellow starters by holding them out of games in August. But might more physicality during controlled practices help the Broncos get ready for the Seahawks and a fast start to the regular season?
O’Halloran: Through 15 preseason games this weekend, only nine teams played their no-doubt Week 1 starting quarterback. But that included Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes. To answer your question, the Broncos should have tried to schedule another joint practice session with Buffalo or Minnesota in addition to the one day they had with Dallas. The joint practices are a great sharpening tool for the starters and a terrific evaluation tool to see who should be Nos. 47-53 on the initial roster.
[ad_2]
Source link