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T.K.O.
08-13-2010, 04:31 PM
Animated McDaniels readies Broncos for Bengals
By Shemar Woods
The Denver Post
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_15769539

Posted: 08/13/2010 10:55:40 AM MDTUpdated: 08/13/2010 02:07:51 PM MDT


Coach Josh McDaniels is eager to see how his running back corps of Toney Baker (40) Justin Fargas (42), Spencer Larsen (46), Lance Ball (35) and Bruce Hall (29) performs Sunday in Cincinnati. (THE DENVER POST | JOHN LEYBA)The Broncos' first preseason game is fast approaching and their practice routine is beginning to reflect Sunday's date at Cincinnati.

Coach Josh McDaniels moved this morning's session to Invesco Field, where the Broncos practiced in full pads. The team flies to Ohio on Saturday.

McDaniels was more animated than usual, stopping team drills after bad plays to express his displeasure.

In other developments:


After sitting out of Thursday's practice, wide receiver Eddie Royal rejoined the first-team offense.


Linebacker D.J. Williams continued to wear his orange "no contact" jersey, but still worked with the starting defense.


Tight end Marquez Branson returned to Denver Broncos

practice after he was carted off the field during Wednesday's practice.


Veteran safety Brian Dawkins, who has been in and out of practice since training camp started, and rookie defensive linemen Ben Garland, did not attend the morning practice.

"There's some guys right now that we're not sure if we're going to take or not," McDaniels said. "That decision will probably be made within the next 24 hours, but certainly if the guys are healthy and ready to go, we're going to play them."


The team went through its pregame routine and special teams formations before preparing the offense and defense for Cincinnati's playbook.

"It was just an organizational thing more than anything else," McDaniels said. "Practice was normal. Practice didn't really have to do any being in the stadium as much as it did just getting ready for some things for Cincinnati and then working on some stuff we need to work on ourselves."


In the absence of Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter, Lance Ball took the first-team reps at running back during the team period. Ball rotated with second-year running back Bruce Hall and veteran Justin Fargas.

"I think they're so far ahead of where they would have been at this point, which is great for all of them," McDaniels said of the extra reps for Ball, Hall and Fargas. "Now we're going to get to go play someone else. We'll see how they react and how they carry the football."

Fargas, acquired early this week, said that he doesn't know how he will be used on Sunday, but McDaniels expects to get him some action.

"As much as he can allow us to," McDaniels said in reference to Fargas' playing time. "Probably more on early downs than third down at this point. We'll see how far he can push it between now and Sunday and he'll play accordingly."


The defense mocked the four-man front that the Bengals will run against the Broncos offense, while the second-team offense lined up in different offensive sets that the Bengals will run.

"We're realistic with what we're going to go there and try to get done," McDaniels said. "We're not going to do too much. We're going to be fairly simple and try to play fast and execute. And try to build from it no matter what happens."