As Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak brings his new team into the stadium where he used to coach Saturday night in Houston for the Broncos-Texans preseason game, there are some things the Broncos need to check off the to-do list.
So, a little W2W4:
Welcome back: The Broncos took a decidedly judicious approach in how they divvied up playing time in the preseason opener in Seattle last week, but this time around things will look at lot more familiar with quarterback Peyton Manning set to make his first game-day appearance in the new offense. While the Broncos won’t show a great deal of their hand in the game, Manning has looked sharp throughout training camp and the Broncos’ plan to build rest days into his schedule has been beneficial, at least as the team has worked its way through August. Look for Manning to kick the tires on as much as he can in terms of lining up under center, in the shotgun and perhaps even in the pistol, depending on how things go in the game. Manning, who has said he's hoping for some kind of opportunity to run a two-minute drill, will play at least a quarter and perhaps as much as a half.
A difficult test: The Broncos’ revamped offensive line will get a rather stringent exam about where things stand against the Texans’ disrupt-everything guy J.J. Watt. Watt may have just a cameo, perhaps less than a quarter, but however many snaps he goes against the Broncos’ youthful front will provide some evaluation information. The Broncos have kept the group that will start the game -- Ty Sambrailo at left tackle, Max Garcia at left guard, Matt Paradis at center, Louis Vasquez at right guard and Ryan Harris at right tackle -- together the longest in training camp. And if they fare as well as they did against the mixture of Seahawks starters and reserves last week, they will have the look of the group that will start the regular-season opener Sept. 13 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Somebody? Anybody?: In the proverbial third phase of the game -- special teams -- the Broncos still need to find a kicker or punter who can handle kickoffs and do his other job well too. Spencer Lanning, who was claimed off waivers last week, figures to get his chance to kick off and punt at some point in the game. This past week Brandon McManus kicked a 70-yard field goal in practice and Connor Barth followed with a 65-yarder minutes later. But overall, Barth, McManus and to a certain extent punter Britton Colquitt haven’t been as consistent as the Broncos would like or need them to be. And while the Broncos have kept saying they have “plenty’’ of time to work things out, the clock is ticking because this team wants to play in big games and will need a kicker to make one for a win or two along the way.
Keep the momentum: Backup quarterback Brock Osweiler had a quality night running the No. 1 offense in Seattle -- 10-of-15 for 151 yards and a touchdown. This time he will enter the game as the No. 2 guy whenever Manning puts on the visor for the night, and the Broncos want to see him maintain his composure and tempo in that role since that will resemble how he would enter a regular-season game. Osweiler has shown a better feel in the pocket in camp and avoided the bouts of either impatience with the ball or holding it too long that have hampered him at times in the past.
Grind it: The battle at running back is still crowded, so much so that Ronnie Hillman, who led the team in rushing against the Seahawks, has appeared more on special teams in practices of late after not having much of a role there previously for the Broncos. It’s a sign everybody in that meeting room understands how tight the race is for roster spots. It will bear watching how the Broncos divide the carries once C.J. Anderson and Montee Ball are done for the night, and it will bear watching the number of special teams snaps Hillman, Juwan Thompson and Jeremy Stewart get along the way.
