Denver Native (Carol)
09-30-2009, 08:13 PM
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13447482
When Josh McDaniels and Brian Xanders finalized their 53-man roster after the conclusion of the preseason, one of the decisions they had to make was how many offensive linemen they wanted to keep on the active roster, eight or nine.
They went with nine, and the decision has paid off.
By the fourth quarter of Sunday's game in Oakland, the Broncos were down to no backups, with starting RT Ryan Harris and LG Ben Hamilton out of the game with injuries, replaced by Tyler Polumbus and Russ Hochstein, respectively. Fellow reserves Seth Olsen, a guard, and Brandon Gorin, a tackle, were inactive.
The offensive line did not falter against Oakland with the replacements in, which is a credit to the depth the team has built at the position.
"We've got a couple of other guys that have stepped in when the opportunity has presented itself and they haven't missed a beat," offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said. "We've got a number of guys who have done a good job for us."
The unit, even without all of its starters, has chemistry. When Oakland defensive end Richard Seymour fought left tackle Ryan Clady after a passing play early in the third quarter (Seymour was called for a personal foul after ripping Clady back by his hair), Hochstein was the first Bronco teammate to get into the fray to try to push Seymour away.
Hamilton, who re-aggravated a hamstring injury just before halftime, received treatment on his leg Monday at Dove Valley but did not have a significant limp as he walked briefly through the locker room. Harris injured his right shoulder and had it wrapped in ice after the game Sunday night. The extent of their injuries will be more clear when players return to practice Wednesday.
When Josh McDaniels and Brian Xanders finalized their 53-man roster after the conclusion of the preseason, one of the decisions they had to make was how many offensive linemen they wanted to keep on the active roster, eight or nine.
They went with nine, and the decision has paid off.
By the fourth quarter of Sunday's game in Oakland, the Broncos were down to no backups, with starting RT Ryan Harris and LG Ben Hamilton out of the game with injuries, replaced by Tyler Polumbus and Russ Hochstein, respectively. Fellow reserves Seth Olsen, a guard, and Brandon Gorin, a tackle, were inactive.
The offensive line did not falter against Oakland with the replacements in, which is a credit to the depth the team has built at the position.
"We've got a couple of other guys that have stepped in when the opportunity has presented itself and they haven't missed a beat," offensive coordinator Mike McCoy said. "We've got a number of guys who have done a good job for us."
The unit, even without all of its starters, has chemistry. When Oakland defensive end Richard Seymour fought left tackle Ryan Clady after a passing play early in the third quarter (Seymour was called for a personal foul after ripping Clady back by his hair), Hochstein was the first Bronco teammate to get into the fray to try to push Seymour away.
Hamilton, who re-aggravated a hamstring injury just before halftime, received treatment on his leg Monday at Dove Valley but did not have a significant limp as he walked briefly through the locker room. Harris injured his right shoulder and had it wrapped in ice after the game Sunday night. The extent of their injuries will be more clear when players return to practice Wednesday.