Working on the wrong plays over and over isn't going to help

The Broncos are working on their Red Zone offense during most of their practices.

Practice is beneficial in terms of learning where to go, but Smith believes if the Broncos are to reverse that red-zone decline of the past three years, it will have to be through a change in mindset.

"We didn't execute," he said. "It's always a combination of things, but it comes down to guys individually making plays when they're in position they have good coverage and we've got to find a way to salvage that play and get three yards. If you can do that, two or three yards in the red zone is huge. Somehow, someway, we found a way to not make those plays and not stay on the field."

Extra work in practice and working on the mental response to red-zone challenges both offer potential solutions. On the other hand, wholesale personnel changes were disdained.

The problem isn't that we need wholesale personnel changes or mental toughness, it's that the plays being called in the red zone at times are asinine. Sure, they have to cut down on interceptions, but most of those throws come on plays that shouldn't have been called in the first place.