ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- As the Broncos' offense has found its footing in the last two weeks of training camp, the team's defense has come to understand why the offensive scheme can help prepare them for the regular season.
"I love this offense. It's that new-school type of offense that y'all see nowadays," defensive end DeMarcus Walker says.
From a defensive perspective, the offense requires pre-snap discipline to avoid overreacting to motion which is usually designed to deceive.
"Man, them dudes motion all day," safety Will Parks said. "They come out in so many different packages and it helps you as a defense when you see an offense like that, because you might not see nothing else like that again."
That's because this offense -- and its predecessors -- emphasize having the offensive linemen attack after the snap in the same manner, whether the play is a run or pass.
"It gets really annoying," Walker said, "but that's what you see nine times out of 10 during the season."
And nothing is more aggravating to Walker than the play-action bootlegs that are a staple of the scheme.
"The freaking boots. That's really annoying," Walker said. "But, hey, you look at the Rams. You even look at the Patriots. The Falcons, the 49ers, everybody does that a lot now, and it works. You've just got to assimilate."
Denver's quarterbacks don't often run out of the bootleg, but others will, starting Thursday in Seattle. Its defenders feel that their work so far against an offense that forces them to stay calm, avoid overpursuit and prepare for all possibilities will have them ready for what the Seahawks toss at them.
"You've got the real calm and simple offenses," Parks said. "Then you've got our offense, where you never know what you might get."
Which is what you have to expect in the NFL.
NOTES
... With no pads and the focus on game preparation, the tempo was scaled back compared to other days of practice, with no tackling and pass rushers often holding up rather than completing their rush to the quarterback.
... Inside linebackers Alexander Johnson and Josh Watson and cornerback Alijah Holder all intercepted passes.
Johnson's pick came when a Brett Rypien pass bounced out of the grasp of DaeSean Hamilton near the center of the field. Johnson was in position to field the football after the deflection.
Holder was next, grabbing a deep Rypien pass intended for Courtland Sutton down the left sideline. Watson closed it out with an end-zone theft of a Rypien pass that was intended for tight end Moral Stephens.
... Wide receiver Tim Patrick had the catch of the day, a one-handed pluck of a Rypien pass down the right seam for a 25-yard gain.
... Wide receiver River Cracraft made a nice sliding touchdown grab of a 5-yard pass from Rypien, reaching back for the pass that was slightly behind him to make the grab on a third-and-goal play.
... Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. prevented a long Kevin Hogan-to-Fred Brown connection, breaking up a pass downfield.
… Don Barclay worked on the first team at right guard in place of Ron Leary, who continues to have his repetitions monitored and will not play in Seattle on Thursday. Barclay started in place of Leary last Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons.
… Head Coach Vic Fangio piped in crowd noise for a second consecutive practice.
"I thought we handled it very well both days, particularly [Monday] which was a little bit more of a higher-tempo practice," Fangio said. "It's good. All tests are good."
