Broncos coach puts QBs' mettle under his pedal
By Lindsay H. Jones
The Denver Post
Posted: 06/04/2009 01:00:00 AM MDT
Updated: 06/04/2009 01:44:47 AM MDT
Kyle Orton focuses on his target during passing camp Wednesday. Orton and Chris Simms have been sharing time at QB. (John Leyba, The Denver Post )
The Broncos are just over halfway through an 11-day passing camp, and for all the talk of progress, things haven't always been running so smoothly for Kyle Orton and Chris Simms.
The quarterbacks, in the early stages of a duel to see who starts, often have found themselves on the receiving end of some profanity-laced tirades from coach Josh McDaniels.
"I hope nobody heard me swearing too much today. But that's just part of this time of the year," McDaniels said Wednesday. "We don't slow down for anybody at this point of the year, because we're going to try to put as much on their plate as we can handle, as coaches, and sometimes they can't handle all of that at the same time, but that's just part of the learning process."
But Orton said he and Simms understand that some shouting is to be expected this time of year, as McDaniels and his staff continue to add layers to the Broncos' new offense.
"If we're making mistakes, the whole practice isn't going to be as sharp and we all won't be able to succeed," Orton said. "He's tough on us, but the tougher he is now, the easier it will be when it comes to the season."
How Orton and Simms deal with the criticism, and how quickly they correct their mistakes, will factor into McDaniels' ultimate decision when he names a starter.
The two continue to be in a close battle. Orton and Simms split reps throughout Wednesday's nearly two-hour practice that was open to the media, though Orton spent more time running the first-team offense. Simms took more first-team reps in the open practice session last Thursday.
McDaniels said he's waiting to see one of his quarterbacks completely "get it."
Clearly, neither is there yet, but McDaniels isn't discouraged.
"I've gone through this before with young quarterbacks, and they've also struggled with a few specific things, and that's what Kyle and Chris are struggling with right now," McDaniels said. "But they're also making progress in a lot of areas, which
Chris Simms shows his form during Wednesday's practice. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)I'm very pleased about."
Coaches have installed most of the new playbook — including all of the base offense — so the challenge for the quarterbacks comes as they are asked to do more and more new things.
"They like to add pages and throw new stuff at us every day," Simms said. "You go home, you're like, 'OK, I feel pretty good. I know everything,' and then you get here the next day and there are new plays. It's like, 'Gosh, I just thought I was caught up!' "
McDaniels said the quarterbacks are making similar errors and that the miscues tend to be mental. But McDaniels doesn't seem concerned, because the mistakes typically involve deciphering new coverage schemes — some of the more complicated parts of picking up the offense.
Neither player, McDaniels said, is struggling physically.
"Those are the kind of things that right now they've got to get over the hill," McDaniels said of the mental miscues. "And the good thing about it is, once they go over the hill, usually you don't have to go over it again. If we can push them hard in the spring right here and actually clear that hurdle, then in training camp we should be moving forward and not having to go backward."
Lindsay H. Jones: 303-954-1262 or ljones@denverpost.com
Battle lines drawn
The competition between Kyle Orton and Chris Simms marks the fourth time since 1983 the Broncos will begin training camp with a QB
battle.
1983: John Elway vs. Steve DeBerg
DeBerg was the incumbent, Elway the super-hyped rookie. Elway won the job at the end of training camp but was benched for the first two games of the season. By 1984, DeBerg was gone.
1999: Bubby Brister vs. Brian Griese
Brister assumed the job was his, as Elway's replacement, but was shocked when Mike Shanahan picked Griese to be the starter.
2000: Brian Griese vs. Gus Frerotte
Frerotte was signed in the offseason to push Griese, and Shanahan maintained it was an open competition, but Frerotte publicly conceded the spot to Griese 10 days before Shanahan confirmed the news.
Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post
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