ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Making an assumption here, but former Nuggets Allen Iverson wouldn’t be happy with the discussion new Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett has stirred with the local media the past month.
All this talk about practice.
Never before has there been so much conversation about how training camp should be conducted or how preseason games should be approached.
"It has been a topic of discussion, I’ve had to answer a lot of questions about that," Hackett said this week in a sit-down interview with 9NEWS. "I’m just kind of looking back on all my experiences from my past, from my time before Green Bay and then my time at Green Bay. I think first and foremost it always starts with the quarterback. When you have a quarterback who is a veteran, has done it for as long as he has, then you have the ability to potentially protect your team."
In other words, because the Broncos have Russell Wilson at quarterback, and all he brings to the practice field each day, the starters don’t need to play in the preseason to execute the offense when it’s time to play for keeps.
"For us, we want to have those highly efficient practices, the ones that are super high-impact, going full speed, non-stop," Hackett said. "You want as good a practice as you can have. That’s why we want to try to protect them earlier and then give them that full-go practice on that next day.
"It’s something we did at Green Bay. It’s something where we stayed very healthy -- knock on wood -- during that time and it will help us at the end of the season. I’ve been part of teams where we have gotten 120 snaps and maxed out the time and went every single day – and there was some good about that. I can’t say there wasn’t.
"It’s just over time it’s about the guys being fresh. Whosever the freshest team, whosever the healthiest team is the one that ends up winning in the long run."
Indeed, the discussion on training camp methods seems to center around the Sept. 12 season-opener at Seattle as the end game. Hackett is saying less in August could help the team play better in late December/early January when the Broncos finish with a gauntlet of road games at the Rams and at the Chiefs before returning home to play the Chargers.
"I just think that’s so important," Hackett said. "Looking back last year, we (the Packers) were 0-3 in the preseason. We got beat pretty bad our first game (in the regular season, 38-3 to New Orleans). We were 0-1. And everybody was in the moment: ‘Where we doing the right stuff?’
"And then you went on a run, 9 in a row (starting with game 2). In the end at some point you have to get on a run during the season. And the way you do that again is by health and those guys feeling good."
The roster Hackett by and large inherited in Denver went 7-10 last year, although there were three major additions – Wilson, pass rusher Randy Gregory and defensive tackle D.J. Jones. Surprisingly, there have been negative narratives about where Wilson’s game is as he moves into the second decade of his career. Such suggestions seemed to originate out of Seattle, which no doubt harbors some bitterness about how the franchise quarterback no longer belongs to the Seahawks’ franchise.
But training camp and preseason practices, if not preseason games, have mostly revealed Wilson looks every bit the 9-time Pro Bowler he was in Seattle. Especially in the 2-minute, end-of-game, move-the-ball scenarios that are saved for the end of practice.
"I’ve gone against him so many times in the past – he’s an electric football player," Hackett said. "Doesn’t matter where you are in the game whether you’re up, whether you’re down, the guy always has a chance to win the game. I mean I remember one game we scored a touchdown, he came back hit an 80-yard touchdown. We hit another touchdown, he came back and hit another touchdown.
"He’s always been so good every time I’ve been able to watch him play. From our standpoint, he’s done everything and more for us as far as getting the players ready, being an amazing leader, learning the system, understanding the system. Working together to build our own system and he’s been able to make every throw on the field whether inside, outside, short, long. It’s been really fun to be a part of."
So what does Hackett like about his Broncos as he gets his backups ready to play their final preseason game Saturday night (7:05 p.m. kickoff, Channel 20) against the Minnesota Vikings’ reserves at Empower Field at Mile High?
"They’re hungry," he said. "They’re really hungry. All these guys they come out and they’re excited to be out on the field, they want to practice hard. They’re accountable to each other. I mean, all these things we’re seeing.
"Now obviously it will be fun to see what happens during the season. Because we will hit adversity. That’s part of it. This game, there’s not a lot of undefeated teams throughout NFL history. As long as you keep that same message, that same mindset throughout the whole season, then it’s going to be a fun team to be around."
And where would he like to see his team improve as the regular season draws to within 17 days away?
"As a coach you want to fine-tune everything whether it’s mechanics in the route, whether it be the timing, whether it be understanding alignments," Hackett said. "Getting set, pre-snap penalties. There’s so many things. And then you look at the defensive side of the ball just executing more confidently and taking our shots and being able to get the ball. We do want more turnovers."
After an abysmal performance by the second- and third-stringers last week in a 42-15 loss to Buffalo, the Broncos had a couple good practices this week, with Wednesday’s workout a notable exception. Still, it felt like the week was a cleansing of sorts.
"I got up there and I talked to them and I told them it was unacceptable," Hackett said. "But I think the great thing was, they knew it was unacceptable. I didn’t have to say anything. I think for them they felt that. Even the guys that didn’t play they knew that’s not what we want to be about. They knew that’s not what they want to put on tape. So I think they came out with that urgency and sometimes that’s a good thing to have.
"You can go through an offseason – a lot of positive around here. Had a great opportunity and beat the Dallas Cowboys. It’s still just a preseason game but we did some really great things. And then all the sudden something like (the Buffalo game) happens, sometimes it’s a good bit of adversity to see how the guys respond."
Hackett is the son of a football coach and growing up, his dad Paul Hackett always made Friday night his time for family. Nathaniel is carrying on the Family Friday tradition with his wife and four kids.
"Can’t wait," Hackett said.
All settled in the Denver area?
"All the kids are officially (Tuesday) all in school," Hackett said. "My wife finally was able to take a little time to relax a little bit. But up to this point there’s been a little construction going on so there’s been some setbacks from that standpoint but it’s been great. I mean the family loves it here. It’s such a beautiful place, unbelievable people – are neighbors are amazing. We’re just happy to be here."
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