Lonestar
08-16-2009, 09:52 PM
By Chris Gentilviso
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- With less than a month before the first regular season game, the Broncos' roster is moving closer to its desired tag:
Full strength.
After missing time due to injuries, both Brian Dawkins and Brandon Marshall were back on the practice field at Dove Valley on Sunday.
Dawkins practiced in an orange jersey reserved for players recovering from injury. He wore a cast on his injured right hand, and is unsure how much longer he will wear the protective piece.
But that factor did little to faze his play over the course of the session.
"I've done it before in my career," Dawkins said. "I've had to play with it for a wrist way back in the day. So I'm pretty used to it."
What Dawkins was not used to was the feeling of watching preseason football in the confines of his home. He admitted that he wasn't the best company to his family.
"Yeah, they don't really ask me any questions while I'm watching," Dawkins laughed.
The reason? Being unable to contribute to his team's efforts in the 17-16 loss to the 49ers at Candlestick Park.
"I was all over the place emotionally," Dawkins said. "Not being out there with the guys and knowing they were traveling to go out there and go to war, and I wasn't able to go out with them, it was real tough. I understand it's preseason, but at the same time I would like to be out there with them. So it was real tough."
Marshall worked primarily with the second-team offense, but was an active figure in all drills and 11-on-11 sets. His toughest task remains getting into game shape.
After recovering from offseason hip surgery, Marshall's hamstring injury has cut into a significant portion of his training camp time. But it hasn't kept the receiver from training throughout the month of August. He said his hip did not contribute at all to his recent pains.
Additionally, all of that adversity has done little to damage his motivation to return to 100-percent form.
"I just need to get back out here, stay healthy and just get back into football shape," Marshall said. "I felt kind of rusty today. I was kind of disappointed in my performance today, but it's the first day, so I'll get better."
PRESEASON FINE-TUNING
While both players did not see action on the field in San Francisco, both took notice of the slew of positive signs demonstrated by teammates. Marshall watched his offense produce 16 second-half points, highlighted by a pair of Chris Simms touchdowns to Jeb Putzier and rookie Kenny McKinley.
"We did some good things," Marshall said. "I saw some guys flying around and making plays and I was excited about a lot of the guys' performances."
On the flip side, Dawkins was "in game mode" for the broadcast. He saw his defense hold San Francisco scoreless for the first 22 minutes of the second half. The new 3-4 format produced four sacks, keeping the Broncos in the game until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.
Dawkins defined those elements as the aggression the team was looking for.
"I saw the things that we've worked on work, and that's always a great thing," Dawkins said. "When you see the things that you've worked on time and time again on offense and defense, and they work, you feel very good about that."
After the team's first practice since the preseason opener, Head Coach Josh McDaniels echoed Dawkins' sentiments. Sunday's session consisted of new twists, including the defense facing a series of plays with a 49ers scout team on offense.
That was designed to help the team recognize and correct its mistakes from Friday's game.
"They see there is light at the end of the tunnel in a lot of different areas," McDaniels said. "We just have to do a lot of little things right and clean them up."
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9232
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- With less than a month before the first regular season game, the Broncos' roster is moving closer to its desired tag:
Full strength.
After missing time due to injuries, both Brian Dawkins and Brandon Marshall were back on the practice field at Dove Valley on Sunday.
Dawkins practiced in an orange jersey reserved for players recovering from injury. He wore a cast on his injured right hand, and is unsure how much longer he will wear the protective piece.
But that factor did little to faze his play over the course of the session.
"I've done it before in my career," Dawkins said. "I've had to play with it for a wrist way back in the day. So I'm pretty used to it."
What Dawkins was not used to was the feeling of watching preseason football in the confines of his home. He admitted that he wasn't the best company to his family.
"Yeah, they don't really ask me any questions while I'm watching," Dawkins laughed.
The reason? Being unable to contribute to his team's efforts in the 17-16 loss to the 49ers at Candlestick Park.
"I was all over the place emotionally," Dawkins said. "Not being out there with the guys and knowing they were traveling to go out there and go to war, and I wasn't able to go out with them, it was real tough. I understand it's preseason, but at the same time I would like to be out there with them. So it was real tough."
Marshall worked primarily with the second-team offense, but was an active figure in all drills and 11-on-11 sets. His toughest task remains getting into game shape.
After recovering from offseason hip surgery, Marshall's hamstring injury has cut into a significant portion of his training camp time. But it hasn't kept the receiver from training throughout the month of August. He said his hip did not contribute at all to his recent pains.
Additionally, all of that adversity has done little to damage his motivation to return to 100-percent form.
"I just need to get back out here, stay healthy and just get back into football shape," Marshall said. "I felt kind of rusty today. I was kind of disappointed in my performance today, but it's the first day, so I'll get better."
PRESEASON FINE-TUNING
While both players did not see action on the field in San Francisco, both took notice of the slew of positive signs demonstrated by teammates. Marshall watched his offense produce 16 second-half points, highlighted by a pair of Chris Simms touchdowns to Jeb Putzier and rookie Kenny McKinley.
"We did some good things," Marshall said. "I saw some guys flying around and making plays and I was excited about a lot of the guys' performances."
On the flip side, Dawkins was "in game mode" for the broadcast. He saw his defense hold San Francisco scoreless for the first 22 minutes of the second half. The new 3-4 format produced four sacks, keeping the Broncos in the game until the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.
Dawkins defined those elements as the aggression the team was looking for.
"I saw the things that we've worked on work, and that's always a great thing," Dawkins said. "When you see the things that you've worked on time and time again on offense and defense, and they work, you feel very good about that."
After the team's first practice since the preseason opener, Head Coach Josh McDaniels echoed Dawkins' sentiments. Sunday's session consisted of new twists, including the defense facing a series of plays with a 49ers scout team on offense.
That was designed to help the team recognize and correct its mistakes from Friday's game.
"They see there is light at the end of the tunnel in a lot of different areas," McDaniels said. "We just have to do a lot of little things right and clean them up."
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=9232