Some lessons are learned the hard way and not having Von Miller, Shane Ray, and Shaquil Barrett in the same room as Bill Kollar game planning each week was a mistake Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods wasn’t about to make in his second full season as a coordinator.

“This is how we’re doing it,” Woods said of the situation. “Last year, we had an outside linebacker coach and a D-line coach. But when we go to our sub-defense, which we’re in majority of the time, they work together. What we’re doing is when we’re doing everything with our dime personnel or our dime front, they’re all in the same room. Actually, the things we’re doing stunt wise, all the pressures, now all those guys are hearing all that teaching together. Then once we get that, then we move on and we separate and we go to outside linebackers. Then they specifically focus on outside linebacker play. So, really I feel like it’s better the way we’re doing it now.”

Why this wasn’t the way it always was is up for debate, but Woods changing to this situation shows growth in his new role. It would be foolish to expect him to have it down to a science like Wade Phillips who had done the coordinator job for decades.

Experience matters and Woods is doing everything he can to optimize the coaching situation to give the players the best chances to win their matchups.

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