ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- It can be a whole new world going from the third team to the second.
The caliber of opposition goes up. When Chad Kelly lines up against the Chicago Bears' No. 2 defense in practice this week, he will see an opposition comprised mostly of players who will still be with the team in the regular season, instead of players who will be in the practice-squad mix.
The key, then, is to focus on your own job -- not who's around and against you.
"You can't really compare the team," he said. "I think going out there you just have to execute on the offensive side on the ball and whatever the play call is. If it's double go, you have to hit the go route. If it's slants, you have to make sure you hit the slant route, but you also have to know who's out there, know your personnel and know where to get the ball.
No matter what unit a player is on, it's always best to focus on running your race. For Kelly, that has often meant extra repetitions after practice.
Monday, that was no different. He was one of the final three players on the field after practice concluded, throwing passes to wide receiver River Cracraft and tight end Jake Butt.
His teammates have noticed his work ethic.
"Chad's been working a lot," wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie told Orange and Blue 760. "He's been working hard, and I like Chad a lot. I like his confidence, I like his ego and everything like that. So he worked his way up."
OBSERVATIONS
... For Kelly, one positive consequence of becoming the No. 2 quarterback -- in addition to the obvious significance of moving up the depth chart -- is more chances to run the offense in game-condition situations.
During Monday's practice, Kelly got an opportunity to guide the No. 2 offense in a two-minute drill period. With one timeout, the football at the offense's 35-yard line and a 21-20 deficit, De'Angelo Henderson burst off the left side for a 17-yard gain to the defense's 48-yard line.
But after a 7-yard pass to Tim Patrick, Kelly and the offense went backward. Shaquil Barrett burst through the line twice -- once for a sack, and then two plays later for a pressure that could have been a sack in game conditions.Kelly got away a throw after the second pressure -- which came on a fourth-and-10 play from the defense's 48-yard-line -- but it was intercepted by Brendan Langley.
... Starting quarterback Case Keenum and the No. 1 offense fared better in their two-minute drill work. Keenum completed passes to Phillip Lindsay and Courtland Sutton to move the offense to the defense's 49-yard line, then used consecutive passes to Demaryius Thomas and Sutton to get the offense to the 31-yard line, putting it within range of a Brandon McManus field-goal attempt.
... One of Kelly's best plays came during a team red-zone period when he fielded a shotgun snap that had sailed wide, picked up up, kept going and found tight end Brian Parker in the end zone for a touchdown on a third-and-goal play.
... During a move-the-ball period early in practice, Keenum guided the first-team offense from the offense's 45-yard line to the defense's 17-yard line in a seven-play march. Keenum got the drive going with a 12-yard pass to Demaryius Thomas, then got extra momentum from Royce Freeman, who picked up 14 yards on a third-and-7 run to move the offense into field-goal range.
... Paxton Lynch had some success with the third team in that same period, completing passes of 14, 8 and 8 yards to Mark Chapman, Matt LaCosse and Isaiah McKenzie to move the offense to the defense's 22-yard line.
... Inside linebacker Josey Jewell had a new number (59), but was his usual self, breaking up a Kelly-to-LaCosse attempt during the seven-on-seven period. Zaire Anderson and Brandon Marshall also broke up passes during seven-on-seven work.
PERSONNEL NOTES
... Tight end Jeff Heuerman returned to practice after missing time because of knee soreness and caught a touchdown pass from Case Keenum during a red-zone period.
"I honestly felt really good out there today," Heueruman said, noting that the soreness was in the same knee that he injured in 2015. "It was kind of my first time back, first time [with] some live reps and stuff. "
... With Ron Leary sidelined, Max Garcia took the first-team repetitions at left guard.
"I've been proud of Max, how he's played the entire training camp," Head Coach Vance Joseph said. "You need seven guys to play the season, so I've been proud of Max how he's played left and right guard for us, and he's obviously a starting-caliber player."
Photos from a Tuesday practice marked by new players' first days of work with the team and intense red-zone sessions.
Running back Devontae Booker (23) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Defensive end DeMarcus Walker (57) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Wide receiver Jordan Leslie (19) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Safety Shamarko Thomas (47) receives a hug from defensive end Caushaud Lyons (97) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback Brendan Langley (27) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Tackle Austin Fleer (63) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Wide Receivers Coach Zach Azzanni instructs receivers wide receiver John Diarse (9, far right) and wide receiver Mark Chapman (85, left of Diarse) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback Bradley Roby (29) and Defensive Backs Coach Greg Williams during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback Tramaine Brock (22) and Defensive Backs Coach Greg Williams during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Inside linebacker Josey Jewell (59) and inside linebacker Joseph Jones (43) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Linebacker A.J. Johnson (62) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Defensive end Caushaud Lyons (97) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Defensive lineman Clinton McDonald (98) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Defensive end Zach Kerr (92) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett (48) and inside linebacker Jerrol Garcia-Williams (52) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Outside linebacker Von Miller (58) and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (55) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Quarterback Case Keenum (4) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Tackle Menelik Watson (75) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Safety Darian Stewart (26) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (25) and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Wide receiver Tim Patrick (81) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Inside linebacker Brandon Marshall (54) tackles running back Phillip Lindsay (2) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback Isaac Yiadom (41) defends against wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Nose tackle Domata Peko Sr. (94) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback C.J. Smith (28) talks with cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (25) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Running back De'Angelo Henderson Sr. (33) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Quarterback Chad Kelly (6) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) makes a catch down the sideline during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Quarterback Case Keenum (4) drops back to pass during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Quarterback Case Keenum (4) under center during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Running back Dave Williams (36) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Safety Darian Stewart (26) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Tight end Matt LaCosse (83) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Inside linebacker Joseph Jones (43) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback Bradley Roby (29) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback Bradley Roby (29) watches as cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (25) demonstrates technique tips during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Defensive end Derek Wolfe (95) and defensive end DeMarcus Walker (57) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) and Wide Receivers Coach Zach Azzanni during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (10) reaches for the pylon as cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (25) defends during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Tight end Jeff Heuerman (82) makes a leaping touchdown catch as cornerback Tramaine Brock (22) defends during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton (17) makes a leaping catch in the end zone during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Tight end Brian Parker (89) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Running back Phillip Lindsay (2) strides into the end zone during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) in the shotgun during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Kicker Brandon McManus (8) watching his field goal attempt sail through the uprights during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Running back De'Angelo Henderson Sr. (33) during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
Cornerback Brendan Langley (27) makes an interception during a practice at UCHealth Training Center on Aug. 13, 2018.
