T.K.O.
10-07-2010, 05:23 PM
Broncos RB Moreno returns to practice
The Denver Post
Posted: 10/07/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
Former Broncos running back Floyd Little, right, now a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, gets to visit the White House press briefing room with vice president Joe Biden on Wednesday. The two Syracuse alums are longtime friends. ( Charles Dharapak, The Associated Press )Never fear, Broncos running game. Help, or some semblance of it, appears to be on the way.
Starting running back Knowshon Moreno practiced Wednesday for the first time since injuring his hamstring Sept. 23. Moreno missed the past two games, when the Broncos rushed for a total of only 66 yards — including 22 from quarterback Kyle Orton.
Moreno was limited in practice but took the first repetitions in individual drills in the early portion of practice that is open to the media.
There is no guarantee, of course, that Moreno's return — should he be cleared to play Sunday at Baltimore — would rescue the Denver running game. Moreno had 111 yards on 39 carries — an average of 2.8 yards per carry — in the Broncos' two games before his injury.
But coach Josh McDaniels said Wednesday his 2-2 team remains committed to revving the running game.
"I think you can play some games and kind of lean more toward the passing game than the running game, but I think over the long haul if you play a season like that you're going to ask for trouble down the road," he said. "You're going to get your quarterback killed, and you are certainly going to get played differently."
Bannan back in Baltimore.
Defensive end Justin Bannan will start for the Broncos at Baltimore. He was a key rotational player for the Ravens the past four seasons.
Bannan said there are no hard feelings toward the Ravens and that he left on good terms to sign as a free agent with Denver, where he had the chance to be a full- time starter.
"It's no personal grudge match," Bannan said. "It'd be kind of hard to go back there and say, 'I'm going to go get revenge' to guys that have always been good to you, and a place where you've had good experiences."
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday his 3-1 team misses Bannan, but that he understood why Bannan chose to leave the Ravens.
"We love
him," Harbaugh said. "He was a huge part of what we were doing here. We were very disappointed to lose him."
Praise for Vickerson.
Kevin Vickerson might be the most unknown player on Denver's defense, understandable because he joined the team in early September. But he has earned Harbaugh's respect.
Harbaugh said he was impressed with what he saw of Vickerson on tape during Denver's 26-20 win at Tennessee. It was Vickerson's first start.
"He reminds me of some of those Steelers defensive ends you see, so big and physical, great hands," Harbaugh said.
Footnotes.
Cornerback Andre Goodman (quadriceps) and linebacker and special-teams captain Wesley Woodyard (hamstring) also returned to practice. Their participation was limited. . . . The only players held out of practice were cornerback Champ Bailey (not injury related) and fullback Spencer Larsen (ankle).
Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post
Read more: Broncos RB Moreno returns to practice - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16273215?obref=obinsite#ixzz11iLhAkcV
The Denver Post
Posted: 10/07/2010 01:00:00 AM MDT
Former Broncos running back Floyd Little, right, now a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, gets to visit the White House press briefing room with vice president Joe Biden on Wednesday. The two Syracuse alums are longtime friends. ( Charles Dharapak, The Associated Press )Never fear, Broncos running game. Help, or some semblance of it, appears to be on the way.
Starting running back Knowshon Moreno practiced Wednesday for the first time since injuring his hamstring Sept. 23. Moreno missed the past two games, when the Broncos rushed for a total of only 66 yards — including 22 from quarterback Kyle Orton.
Moreno was limited in practice but took the first repetitions in individual drills in the early portion of practice that is open to the media.
There is no guarantee, of course, that Moreno's return — should he be cleared to play Sunday at Baltimore — would rescue the Denver running game. Moreno had 111 yards on 39 carries — an average of 2.8 yards per carry — in the Broncos' two games before his injury.
But coach Josh McDaniels said Wednesday his 2-2 team remains committed to revving the running game.
"I think you can play some games and kind of lean more toward the passing game than the running game, but I think over the long haul if you play a season like that you're going to ask for trouble down the road," he said. "You're going to get your quarterback killed, and you are certainly going to get played differently."
Bannan back in Baltimore.
Defensive end Justin Bannan will start for the Broncos at Baltimore. He was a key rotational player for the Ravens the past four seasons.
Bannan said there are no hard feelings toward the Ravens and that he left on good terms to sign as a free agent with Denver, where he had the chance to be a full- time starter.
"It's no personal grudge match," Bannan said. "It'd be kind of hard to go back there and say, 'I'm going to go get revenge' to guys that have always been good to you, and a place where you've had good experiences."
Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday his 3-1 team misses Bannan, but that he understood why Bannan chose to leave the Ravens.
"We love
him," Harbaugh said. "He was a huge part of what we were doing here. We were very disappointed to lose him."
Praise for Vickerson.
Kevin Vickerson might be the most unknown player on Denver's defense, understandable because he joined the team in early September. But he has earned Harbaugh's respect.
Harbaugh said he was impressed with what he saw of Vickerson on tape during Denver's 26-20 win at Tennessee. It was Vickerson's first start.
"He reminds me of some of those Steelers defensive ends you see, so big and physical, great hands," Harbaugh said.
Footnotes.
Cornerback Andre Goodman (quadriceps) and linebacker and special-teams captain Wesley Woodyard (hamstring) also returned to practice. Their participation was limited. . . . The only players held out of practice were cornerback Champ Bailey (not injury related) and fullback Spencer Larsen (ankle).
Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post
Read more: Broncos RB Moreno returns to practice - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/broncos/ci_16273215?obref=obinsite#ixzz11iLhAkcV