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Denver Native (Carol)
11-13-2008, 07:18 PM
http://cbs4denver.com/sports/broncos.linebackers.denver.2.863173.html

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) ― The Denver Broncos linebacker corps is so ravaged by injuries, Jamie Winborn has offered to relocate.

Weakside, strong side or middle linebacker, he'll play wherever the Broncos need.

"Even quarterback," Winborn said, grinning. "I'd be a good option QB."

That isn't an option.

The Broncos couldn't afford to lose another linebacker, down three starters already.

Nate Webster is expected to miss a few weeks with a strained MCL that he sustained against Cleveland, the same injury that sidelined D.J. Williams the week before.

Boss Bailey, the team's other front-line linebacker, went on injured reserve after hurting his knee at New England on Oct. 20.

"It's definitely been weird, guys going down like that," Winborn said. "But that happens in this league. We just have to overcome it."

Niko Koutouvides was brought in to play middle linebacker, signing a three-year, $7.5 million deal in March, but he was beaten out by a fired-up Webster during training camp.

Now, Koutouvides could be filling in for him. After spending the season on special teams, Koutouvides saw his first action on defense last Thursday, making two tackles.

Rookie Wesley Woodyard occupies Williams' spot on the weakside while Winborn remains the stalwart at strong side.

"We lost some key players," Woodyard said. "Now, we've got to get some guys to step up. We've got to get some guys to make some plays."

Woodyard made his first start at Cleveland, turning in a 10-tackle performance. He said he owes a debt of gratitude to Williams for tutoring him during the week.

"D.J. gave me a few keys, what to look for," Woodyard said. "A lot of players in his situation wouldn't have helped a guy in my situation. But he was looking out for me."

The Broncos are also without cornerback Champ Bailey (groin) and safety Marlon McCree (ankle), putting an even bigger crimp in a defense that's giving up nearly 28 points a game.

But they gained a measure of confidence against Cleveland, preventing a last-minute drive by Brady Quinn to preserve a 34-30 win fueled by Jay Cutler's three fourth-quarter touchdown passes.

The Browns had the ball on the 33 with 1:14 remaining, but couldn't convert from short yardage to keep the driving moving.

"That was a game we finished and we were happy," Winborn said. "But we have to forget about that."

After all, they have to find a way to corral Michael Turner, the third-leading rusher in the NFL with 890 yards, when the Broncos (5-4) visit resurgent Atlanta (6-3) on Sunday.

The Denver defense hasn't stacked up well against the run this season, giving up 146.3 yards a game.

"He's really tough to wrap up," Winborn said. "He plays hard and runs with a low center of gravity. He has good vision and he breaks a lot of tackles. It'll definitely be a challenge."

IN THIS CORNER: Broncos cornerback Karl Paymah sends frequent text messages to his good buddy, Domonique Foxworth.

They remain close, even though it was Paymah's play that led to Foxworth being shipped to Atlanta after Foxworth fell behind Paymah on the depth chart in training camp.

"He's doing good," Paymah said. "He finally has a chance to start."

Foxworth knocked down three passes in a 34-20 win over New Orleans on Sunday, his best game of the season.

After starting out slow, Foxworth has eight tackles and five pass deflections, all coming in the last three games.

"Dom has spent a whole lot of time trying to catch up," Falcons coach Mike Smith said. "When he got here he was really 3,000 snaps behind in terms of the number of snaps as a football team that we had run. But he's done a very nice job."

Paymah and Foxworth, along with the late Darrent Williams, were part of Denver's 2005 draft class.

They both figured they'd be starting cornerbacks -- for Denver.

Now, they've gone in different directions. Foxworth finding his way in Atlanta, while Paymah has taken over for Bailey as he recovers from a groin injury.

"You want to be flying around out there, making plays," Paymah said. "You just have to fight and keep battling through adversity. I'm proud of him."

FIRST DOWNS: Denver is making its first trip to Atlanta since 1997. ... The Broncos are second in the league in yards per game (395.1). ... RB Selvin Young (groin) didn't participate in practice Wednesday. ... WR Eddie Royal leads all rookies in catches (52), yards receiving (625) and receiving touchdowns (four).

Dreadnought
11-13-2008, 07:21 PM
Those LB injuries would be devastating, if any of those guys had actually been playing well. As it stands, I look at it as an opportunity.

Italianmobstr7
11-13-2008, 08:09 PM
Those LB injuries would be devastating, if any of those guys had actually been playing well. As it stands, I look at it as an opportunity.

DJ Williams was leading the league in tackles before the injury... So I'd say that he was playing pretty well.

MOtorboat
11-13-2008, 08:10 PM
DJ Williams was leading the league in tackles before the injury... So I'd say that he was playing pretty well.

I know its rough for you to grasp, but our defense sucks.

broncohead
11-13-2008, 08:48 PM
I know its rough for you to grasp, but our defense sucks.

He didn't say any anything about the defense as a whole... he said that DJ was "playing pretty well." Is that to hard to grasp?

Den21vsBal19
11-14-2008, 02:38 AM
Quite bizarre how the injuries have decimated a couple of positions :confused:

LordTrychon
11-14-2008, 03:17 AM
Quite bizarre how the injuries have decimated a couple of positions :confused:

Wish the injury Gods had aimed at our punter position.

No offense to Kern, naturally. :salute:

Den21vsBal19
11-14-2008, 03:25 AM
Wish the injury Gods had aimed at our punter position.

No offense to Kern, naturally. :salute:
None taken, I'm sure :lol:

omac
11-14-2008, 05:31 AM
Quite bizarre how the injuries have decimated a couple of positions :confused:

That was our problem at OL, RB, and WR last season too. Maybe they need a new direction with their strength and conditioning program. I thought we were fully loaded at RB at the start of the season.

gobroncsnv
11-14-2008, 07:59 AM
Pittman was the only RB that impressed me when healthy. Here's an oxymoron for ya... he was pretty consistent before he was injured.
As far as LB's go, DJ's the only injury that really hurt us. The others, not so much. Some say that Boss was still catching up from previous injuries, and was improving, maybe so. But how much can you miss somebody you can't keep out there? Webster made a lot of tackles, but usually in catching somebody, not blowing them up in the backfield. Winborn just doesn't cut it for me, if that matters, wouldn't start for any other team in the league. Right now, the only one playing half-decent is Woodyard, and he isn't bad when he plays his assignment and holds his edges. He makes his rookie mistakes, but is the best we have out there right now. Hoping they'll see the wisdom in getting Niko off the field to give Larsen a shot at mike.

Den21vsBal19
11-14-2008, 10:59 AM
That was our problem at OL, RB, and WR last season too. Maybe they need a new direction with their strength and conditioning program. I thought we were fully loaded at RB at the start of the season.
Certainly some of the injuries can't really be attributed to the coaching & fitness regime's, Torain's arm injury, for example, is just the sort of freak injury that you're going to get in a contact sport..............

Others, such as the spate of groins can most definitely be alieviated through better coaching & fitness..........:mad:

And back to Torain again, you've got to ask if he'd been 'eased back in' a little more whether that injury would have happend :whoknows:

Zweems56
11-14-2008, 11:25 AM
I know its rough for you to grasp, but our defense sucks.

Bad angry midget! BAD!

Cutler6MVP
11-14-2008, 11:47 AM
I know its rough for you to grasp, but our defense sucks.

Hey for once his homerism isnt clouding his vision. Williams was playing at a very high level before he was hurt.