BroncoBuff
08-30-2006, 05:27 PM
Seems hard to believe, but Andrew Mason seems quite sure.
I think Tatum and/or Cobbs should get the job, but Shanny's going with Mike Bell I betcha. He's gotta be the genius ...
Competition for No. 1 RB Slot Still Wide Open
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The final preseason game is typically one that sees the Broncos rest most of their starters.The operative word there is "most.""What we usually do in the last game is the established starters will sit out -- and that's really everybody on the offense and defense excluding the running backs," Head Coach Mike Shanahan revealed following Tuesday afternoon's practice session.That means it could be a busy night for all the running backs -- including first-teamer Mike Bell, who has started every game so far in the preseason."I'm not going to go through the playing time or the depth chart," Shanahan said. "We'll all find out when we open the season against the Rams who that starting running back will be. But there is some competition there, and hopefully we'll get a chance to evaluate them against Arizona, and obviously we'll all see when we play against the Rams (on Sept. 10) who gets the starting nod."So far in the preseason, four of the five Broncos runners have found the end zone; Mike Bell has two touchdowns while Cedric Cobbs, Tatum Bell and Damien Nash each have scored once. But it is Cobbs who currently leads the league in preseason rushing yardage, gaining 161 yards and averaging 5.8 yards per rush, which has him believing he's barely behind the battling Bells in the ground derby."I would say that I'm not too far away from (them) -- if (not) right tit-for-tat with them," Cobbs said. "But I've got to keep continuing to get better. This game is real important to me, so I'm definitely trying to raise it to another level."Added Shanahan: "Any time a guy averages over 5.5 yards a carry, he's doing a great job.Nash did not practice Monday, but Ron Dayne did; he missed the last two games while battling a turf-toe injury."For him to practice today was a good sign," Shanahan said.And with 60 minutes of preseason football remaining, the competition to be the team's No. 1 running back at St. Louis remains wide open."There's nobody excluded there," Shanahan said.
http://web1.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/Top%20Stories/2006/cobbs_jackson_rm_060829.jpgWARREN PRACTICES: Shanahan said that defensive tackle Gerard Warren will not play Thursday, but his appearance on the practice field marked a significant step forward as he works his way back from the disclocated toe he incurred during practice on Aug. 5."Gerard was back there full speed today; he worked with the first unit," Shanahan said. "It was good to have him back. He's gone through a good rehab program here for the past few weeks, and he's done an excellent job staying in shape, keeping his weight down."THE PLAN FOR MARSHALL: Brandon Marshall was back on the practice field in his No. 15 jersey for the first time since suffering a slight tear of his posterior cruciate ligament at Detroit on Aug. 11, but Shanahan said it would be unlikely that the rookie wide receiver to be able to play at Arizona on Thursday night."I don't think he'll be able to play in the game," Shanahan said, "but we're hoping there's a chance."He did, however, progress as Shanahan would have hoped during Thursday's 90-minute session."He looked pretty good running routes; there was no setback there," Shanahan said. "That doesn't happen overnight, so hopefully we'll get a few days for him to practice before we start next week.".
I think Tatum and/or Cobbs should get the job, but Shanny's going with Mike Bell I betcha. He's gotta be the genius ...
Competition for No. 1 RB Slot Still Wide Open
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The final preseason game is typically one that sees the Broncos rest most of their starters.The operative word there is "most.""What we usually do in the last game is the established starters will sit out -- and that's really everybody on the offense and defense excluding the running backs," Head Coach Mike Shanahan revealed following Tuesday afternoon's practice session.That means it could be a busy night for all the running backs -- including first-teamer Mike Bell, who has started every game so far in the preseason."I'm not going to go through the playing time or the depth chart," Shanahan said. "We'll all find out when we open the season against the Rams who that starting running back will be. But there is some competition there, and hopefully we'll get a chance to evaluate them against Arizona, and obviously we'll all see when we play against the Rams (on Sept. 10) who gets the starting nod."So far in the preseason, four of the five Broncos runners have found the end zone; Mike Bell has two touchdowns while Cedric Cobbs, Tatum Bell and Damien Nash each have scored once. But it is Cobbs who currently leads the league in preseason rushing yardage, gaining 161 yards and averaging 5.8 yards per rush, which has him believing he's barely behind the battling Bells in the ground derby."I would say that I'm not too far away from (them) -- if (not) right tit-for-tat with them," Cobbs said. "But I've got to keep continuing to get better. This game is real important to me, so I'm definitely trying to raise it to another level."Added Shanahan: "Any time a guy averages over 5.5 yards a carry, he's doing a great job.Nash did not practice Monday, but Ron Dayne did; he missed the last two games while battling a turf-toe injury."For him to practice today was a good sign," Shanahan said.And with 60 minutes of preseason football remaining, the competition to be the team's No. 1 running back at St. Louis remains wide open."There's nobody excluded there," Shanahan said.
http://web1.denverbroncos.com/resources/custom/Images/Top%20Stories/2006/cobbs_jackson_rm_060829.jpgWARREN PRACTICES: Shanahan said that defensive tackle Gerard Warren will not play Thursday, but his appearance on the practice field marked a significant step forward as he works his way back from the disclocated toe he incurred during practice on Aug. 5."Gerard was back there full speed today; he worked with the first unit," Shanahan said. "It was good to have him back. He's gone through a good rehab program here for the past few weeks, and he's done an excellent job staying in shape, keeping his weight down."THE PLAN FOR MARSHALL: Brandon Marshall was back on the practice field in his No. 15 jersey for the first time since suffering a slight tear of his posterior cruciate ligament at Detroit on Aug. 11, but Shanahan said it would be unlikely that the rookie wide receiver to be able to play at Arizona on Thursday night."I don't think he'll be able to play in the game," Shanahan said, "but we're hoping there's a chance."He did, however, progress as Shanahan would have hoped during Thursday's 90-minute session."He looked pretty good running routes; there was no setback there," Shanahan said. "That doesn't happen overnight, so hopefully we'll get a few days for him to practice before we start next week.".