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Lonestar
09-01-2009, 11:10 PM
By Chris Gentilviso
DenverBroncos.com

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Fourty-eight hours after signing with the Broncos, rookie Alphonso Smith reflected on his first training camp practice with the club.

The veterans had yet to arrive. The curve was just beginning. The intended goal was achieving a head start.

Just over a month has passed since the first-year players took their first steps on the Dove Valley turf. With 48 hours separating Smith from his final preseason game, his mentality has yet to change.

"It's highs and lows," he said. "As a rookie, I'll tell you this. I have a long way to go and I'm going to try to just go in and keep chopping wood and try to get better."

With three preseason games under their belt, the rest of rookies have learned that Smith's latter point is the only thing they are certain to control. Tom Brandstater entered the San Francisco opener holding a clipboard and wearing headset, while watching Kyle Orton and Chris Simms operate the offense for the duration of the game.

Now, Brandstater's mentality remains getting better and better -- as the projected starter for Thursday's date with Arizona. That role change has prompted him to put in extra hours at team headquarters this week, all toward getting that head start.

"As a starting quarterback -- I mean, it actually sounds crazy to say starting quarterback now -- but I'm starting on Thursday," Brandstater said. "There's a lot of work that needs to be put in to be the guy. While the other guys are not here, I'm going to act like I'm the starter. I'm not going to look back until someone tells me I'm not playing anymore."

SHORT WEEK OFFERS WELCOME CHALLENGE

The concept of not looking back has become more illuminated during an abbreviated week of preparation. A collegiate schedule occasionally offers a diversion from Saturday football.

But with three days separating the Bears and Cardinals contests, Robert Ayers has already recognized the jump in responsibilities during a short week from the junior circuit to the pro circuit.

"In college, pretty much we're running the same thing -- we've just got to make a few adjustments," Ayers said. "Here it can be a completely different game plan. Then the talent level is higher, and you're getting ready for a completely different team than who we played last week."

That experience deserves no delay in the eyes of Head Coach Josh McDaniels. The Broncos will experience the same pressure to condense their activities come November, when three days separate their regular-season home contests between the Chargers on Nov. 22 and Giants on Thanksgiving Day.

Beyond his players learning how cram in their customary workload, McDaniels is also reminding them that the opponent faces the same constraints.

"Today we worked on first, second and third down short-yardage stuff, multiple phases in our kicking game," he said. "Tomorrow we'll finish it up with the stuff we haven't hit yet. Everybody's got the same amount of time. They don't have more than we do and we've just got to shorten it down and do what we can do."

INTERNAL COMPETITION CLIMBING

Along with schematic changes and personal adjustments, the final week of the preseason offers an abnormally high level of internal competition across league rosters.

On Tuesday, 75 Broncos set foot on the practice field. Within the next week, that number will shrink to 53, leaving different perspectives scattered across the minds of the younger players.

The uniform understanding: helping the team secure its first win of the 2009 preseason.

"I'm trying to do whatever I can to make the team and help the team get better," Brandstater said. "It just so happens that I'm playing a lot on Thursday. We're going to try to get our first win and really look better than we have last week."

That framework has also been adopted by McDaniels. While he recognizes that a multitude of decisions are on the horizon, he has mirrored his players in shaping his preparation toward the best interests for the club over the long haul.

"I think there are a lot of things at stake for a lot of people and also some things that we want to get better at in terms of our football team," McDaniels said. "But we certainly need to evaluate the last so many decisions we need to make. Some of that is going to come down to how people play on Thursday (vs. Arizona) and what we feel about them after the preseason is over with."

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