The Denver Broncos dominated the Green Bay Packers in a joint practice last summer, then they defeated them 27-2 in a preseason game. After that game, Packers coach Matt LaFleur said his team was humbled in Denver.
That joint practice against Green Bay’s starters gave the Broncos a confidence boost ahead of the regular season, and Denver went on to reach the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2015.
“I think what was very compelling about that joint practice was the tenacity that the team had,” Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain said. “The energy, the vibrant energy that we had as a team, the enthusiasm. I think that speaks volumes because the Packers are a playoff team as well as we can see. Going out there competing but also dominating as a team. That’s when I knew what type of team we had.
“I already know — minus the doubters, minus the naysayers — but the belief within the team and this organization, I already knew we were destined for this opportunity and this moment. I’m looking forward to next week. Going out there in a playoff game, it a tough atmosphere, playing our hearts out.”
That practice was seemingly a wakeup call for the Packers as well as they went on to go 11-6 in the regular season and also made the playoffs. Green Bay reaching the postseason was not a surprise, though. Few outside of Denver expected the Broncos to make the playoffs.
“[T]alking to the defense after they got done [against the Packers], and the way that they explained how they felt like they dominated on that side of the ball, it was encouraging,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. “To have a defense go against… at the point in time Jordan Love had signed his contract, I think he was the highest-paid quarterback in the league at the time. For them to go over there and have the couple days that they had plus the game, it was encouraging. Then for us on offense, there was a two-minute drill. I’m pretty sure you all already know. There was a two-minute drill that we had against their defense, and I think we ran like four plays. We got within five yards of scoring, and they said, ‘Let’s start it over.’
“Seeing that a young guy like Bo [Nix], this was probably two weeks, three weeks into training camp. For him to go out there and orchestrate a two-minute drill like that against a defense of that quality, of that caliber, that was definitely encouraging. As older guy in that locker room, to see Bo go out there and handle and manage that situation the way he did, it was very encouraging. Like I say all the time, his development, his persistence to get better is what I feel like makes him so special. I would say those two situations [were telling].
“I think that joint practice gave us a little bit of, ‘All right, we can go out there and compete,’ because obviously they’re a playoff team as well. A really good team. The Packers are a really good team, so for us to go out there and perform the way we did in that joint practice, it was good to see.”
Denver will now face the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs. Green Bay will travel to take on the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers might not know it, but that joint practice with the Broncos seemingly kicked off a new era of relevance for Denver.
