Green Bay Will Build From Humbling Practice Against Denver

Over 22 years ago, Philadelphia 76ers point guard Allen Iverson delivered one of the most iconic lines in sports history after reporters asked about his dedication to practice following the Sixers' playoff loss to the Boston Celtics. The line was in response to criticisms from head coach Larry Brown.

"We sitting in here -- I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we in here talking about practice," Iverson said. "I mean, listen: We talking about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We talking about practice."

In 2002-03, Iverson led the NBA in games started, minutes played, and steals per game. He averaged 27.6 points per game and guided the 76ers back to the postseason.

It's joint practice season in the NFL, with teams across the country participating in these sessions. The Detroit Lions practiced with the New York Giants, the Minnesota Vikings with the Cleveland Browns, and the New York Jets with the Washington Commanders. The Green Bay Packers held a joint practice with the Denver Broncos on Friday and will have another with the Baltimore Ravens next week.

Friday's practice wasn't kind to Green Bay's offense. Jordan Love completed 15 of 26 passes for 107 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. The Packers ran a pair of two-minute drills against Denver's defense but went four-and-out both times.

Green Bay's defense struggled in seven-on-seven and 11-on-11 drills, unable to contain Bo Nix and Zach Wilson. Nix and Wilson had a productive day, consistently moving the ball and finding open receivers.

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July and August are about NFL teams finding their rhythm, which means experiencing good and bad days of practice. Despite Green Bay's rough outing against Denver, Jaire Alexander emphasized its value. "It was a good day for us,” he said. “There was a lot to learn from."

A humbling experience in August enhances Green Bay’s chances of being ready when adversity hits during the regular season and the playoffs.

The preseason will generate headlines as the season approaches, but drawing concrete conclusions from it is challenging. Players aren't operating at full speed or strength, as avoiding injuries is crucial to preserving their season and future earning potential. For example, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell asked Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz to reduce the physicality after Thayer Thomas went down in the joint practice against Cleveland.

Head coaches will never reveal their tricks and secrets during the preseason. Matt LaFleur’s offense relies heavily on specific game plans, which explains why Green Bay's offense struggled to advance without a tailored approach to Denver’s defense. Additionally, Bo Nix is a rookie and lacks NFL tape, so defensive coordinators have limited material to prepare for him.

Green Bay will continue to build on a season where they triumphed over Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs, defeated the No. 2-seeded Dallas Cowboys, and kept the No. 1-seeded San Francisco 49ers on edge for 59 minutes. Just as Allen Iverson rebounded from headlines about practice to lead the NBA in multiple categories, the Green Bay Packers will improve and learn from their humbling practice against the Denver Broncos. For fans, it’s important to remember not to overreact to Friday’s showing. After all, we are talking about practice.