ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Throughout the Patriots’ 15-year dynasty, they haven’t relied on spectacular individual performances or highlight-reel plays. Under Bill Belichick’s reign, they’ve worked like a machine, slowly wearing teams down with their attention to detail and ability to avoid mistakes.
Their mantra? “Do your job.”
The Broncos seem to be taking a page out of Belichick’s notebook. Through four days of camp, several players and coaches have mentioned a renewed focus on what they themselves can control. By spending more time in the playbook and watching film, and less time worrying about the mistakes of others, the Broncos think they can right the ship in 2018.
During his pre-training camp press conference, Demaryius Thomas said he thought one of the major problems the Broncos faced last season was players trying to do too much. Once the season went south, they all wanted to put the team on their back through big plays, rather than focusing on the details.
“Doing our job at every position, from offensive line, running backs, receivers,” Thomas said of the solution. “Being accountable for your job and only your job. If coaches ask for more, then that’s when you do more.”
Isaiah McKenzie is an example of a player who tried to do too much last season. Of the 25 NFL players who fielded at least 20 punts last season, only three had a lower fair catch rate than McKenzie, who attempted a return on 75 percent of the punts he caught. McKenzie was explosive when he managed to hold on to the ball, but took too many risks, leading him to a six-fumble season, the second-most of any non-quarterback. He made far too many mistakes to be a net positive contributor to the team.
After Monday’s practice he gave himself a “solid ‘F’” for his performance last year, but he knows how to improve in his sophomore season.
“Make better decisions and do my job the best I can,” he said.
While the Broncos’ woes on offense and special teams stole the headlines in 2017, their defense had one glaring deficiency; it only forced 17 turnovers—good for 26th in the league—after forcing 27 and ranking seventh in back-to-back seasons.
But Vance Joseph’s solution isn’t to tell his defensive backs to jump routes and go after the ball. In fact, he’s asking them to do the opposite.
After Tuesday’s practice, Joseph shared the advice he’s been giving Bradley Roby, who will step into Aqib Talib’s starting role this season. He said that playing cornerback isn’t about making plays as much as it’s about not giving them up and that interceptions come with patience.
“If you’re in a good position, you’ll make enough plays, but don’t cheat,” Joseph said. “Don’t gamble to make plays, because that’s not what winning is about. That’s about you.”
Joesph’s theory is to insulate his team from the potential of big plays by sitting back in coverage and waiting for the other team to make mistakes. As long as the offense slips up first, the defense will have an opportunity to win the battle.
In other words, the cornerbacks just do their job and capitalize when their opponents don’t.
“I’ve always been out there scoring touchdowns, forcing fumbles, getting picks, stuff like that,” Roby said on Tuesday, agreeing with the plan. “I know that’s going to come. I just also have to know not to try too hard or try to do things that are not in my job to get those things done. If you just do your job and stay where you’re supposed to be, then they’ll come.”
The concept is simple, but sticking to it may not be. When the Broncos hit a rough patch last season, they imploded. By all accounts, the attention to detail was lost and everybody felt it was their duty to put the team on their back.
Thomas thinks that the Broncos can turn things around in 2018—and even make a return to the playoffs—but only if they get back to doing the little things right and focusing on what they can control.
“The guys, from talent to hard workers, we’ve got the team to do it,” he said. “It’s just putting it together and getting back over that hump. The thing is going out every week and every day and doing our job to the best ability that we can.”
