Practice Without Pads?

by Mr. Irrelevant on Nov 19, 2008 9:50 AM MST Comment 8 comments

I'm a huge Shanahan supporter. Don't get me wrong. He is better than most coaches. But practice without pads for much of the week? No wonder we're the softest team in the league. We never practice tackling. No wonder teams run on us like we're a treadmill. Shanny says that practicing without pads will leave the players fresher on gameday. That's like preparing for a marathon by running a mile a week. Do we practice without a football too?

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Luckily that has changed the past few weeks..

The Broncos are now practicing in pads and hitting 3 days a week….

-TSG

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by John Bena (aka TheSportsGuru) on Nov 19, 2008 10:09 AM MST reply actions 0 recs

Shanny's strategy works well for a veteran defense that has years of success...such as our 2005 and earlier D.

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08

by Zappa on Nov 19, 2008 10:19 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

And is has definatly helped.

I mean our run defense came to play for 60 minutes.

"It doesn't dissipate" ~ Mike Shanahan

Cutler's 4th qtr/OT game winning drives: 6

by weazel on Nov 19, 2008 11:16 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

A reconsidered idea

I think Mike has hit on something; we’ve hardly been avoiding injuries and a good defense needs to be toughened with a little hitting. I always had my doubts about the no hitting idea, we’ve got to re-establish a physical defense and how you practice is often how you play. Excessive hitting should still be avoided but the wisdom of no hitting had become a dogma.

by Colinski on Nov 19, 2008 4:41 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

I think there is a balance.

We went too long this season without the pads. Some teams need more contact, some need less. This year’s team clearly needed more (despite the injuries), and I’m glad it got figured out (even if a little later in the season).

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Nov 19, 2008 5:25 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Game action is like a casino, the longer you're in the action the higher the probability you'll go broke

Can’t afford an injury. You can always ramp up the contact if need be.

by Steve O' on Nov 19, 2008 8:52 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

live and learn

it seems like the players aren’t the only ones coming around at this stage of the season. i see good moves by the coaching staff, also. a team coming together?

hear me, perpetrators of bread crime, your punishment is at hand.
taste my blintzkrieg!

by davecheffy on Nov 19, 2008 10:17 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

no hitting

shan does deserve credit for making the adjustment. once our vet’s started going down and the team started dropping the rock shanny made a significant change in a fundamental practice strategy. that is the kind of coaching i want for this team.

it is possible that with a group of veteran guys with great attitudes would really benefit from no hitting practice. as we have heard from various members of the team for the past few seasons though, the attitude at practices has at times sucked. i think the worst thing a coach can do is change fundamental strategies due to crappy attitudes. its like a parent giving into whining- it sends the wrong message in the long term in order to appease in the short term.
good post, i like the hitting.

by denver_diaspora on Nov 20, 2008 10:01 AM MST reply actions 0 recs