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06-08-2003, 08:41 PM
In the passing game, Friday's practice belonged to the defense. Three times -- once in one-on-one drills and twice during team snaps -- Broncos cornerbacks came up with interceptions, with Kelly Herndon and Deltha O'Neal each snagging passes.
For Herndon -- who nearly picked off two other passes -- he hopes it gives him an advantage when practice resumes on Monday morning for the fourth of six voluntary camp workouts.
"I was glad to get some on the last day (of the week), to get in their head," he said.
Herndon's interception came when the team was in red-zone drills, and stultified an attempted score by the team's two passing linchpins -- quarterback Jake Plummer and wide receiver Rod Smith.
"I just read the route, Jake was looking over there a little bit," Herndon said. "I stepped in front of Rod, knocked his arm down, got a little tip and tried to take control."
Herndon hopes plays like that can help him take control of a starting position. O'Neal has experienced that, and wants to get back there again after being shuffled back on the depth chart at the end of the 2002 season.
He plans on resuming that starting position this year. But any improvement he may make could be based not merely on what he does as a cornerback, but on special teams, where he fields punts at the conclusion of practices. On Thursday, he and the other returners worked on a unique drill -- one that saw them carry a football, then throw it into the air as they fielded a punt, then catch the tossed ball to wrap up the work.
From the observer's eye, it almost looked as if O'Neal, Quentin Griffin, Adrian Madise, Herb Haygood and the other fellow returners were circus performers, trying to juggle footballs as a clown might juggle croquet balls. The main purpose? Concentration -- and working on something that is seemingly more difficult than what one might face in a game situation.
"They help you have awareness of where the ball is going to be at, and judging the flight of the ball," O'Neal said.
Such work paid dividends on defense for O'Neal during Friday's practice, as he picked off two passes -- one in team drills, and the other in one-on-one work when he stepped in front of a pass intended for Frank Rice.
http://www.denverbroncos.com/front-features3/index.php3?clmn=/front-features3/060603_1.prm&go=shownews
For Herndon -- who nearly picked off two other passes -- he hopes it gives him an advantage when practice resumes on Monday morning for the fourth of six voluntary camp workouts.
"I was glad to get some on the last day (of the week), to get in their head," he said.
Herndon's interception came when the team was in red-zone drills, and stultified an attempted score by the team's two passing linchpins -- quarterback Jake Plummer and wide receiver Rod Smith.
"I just read the route, Jake was looking over there a little bit," Herndon said. "I stepped in front of Rod, knocked his arm down, got a little tip and tried to take control."
Herndon hopes plays like that can help him take control of a starting position. O'Neal has experienced that, and wants to get back there again after being shuffled back on the depth chart at the end of the 2002 season.
He plans on resuming that starting position this year. But any improvement he may make could be based not merely on what he does as a cornerback, but on special teams, where he fields punts at the conclusion of practices. On Thursday, he and the other returners worked on a unique drill -- one that saw them carry a football, then throw it into the air as they fielded a punt, then catch the tossed ball to wrap up the work.
From the observer's eye, it almost looked as if O'Neal, Quentin Griffin, Adrian Madise, Herb Haygood and the other fellow returners were circus performers, trying to juggle footballs as a clown might juggle croquet balls. The main purpose? Concentration -- and working on something that is seemingly more difficult than what one might face in a game situation.
"They help you have awareness of where the ball is going to be at, and judging the flight of the ball," O'Neal said.
Such work paid dividends on defense for O'Neal during Friday's practice, as he picked off two passes -- one in team drills, and the other in one-on-one work when he stepped in front of a pass intended for Frank Rice.
http://www.denverbroncos.com/front-features3/index.php3?clmn=/front-features3/060603_1.prm&go=shownews