While the backfield will take a hit for this Sunday’s game, other positions are getting healthier as the Broncos prepare to head to Tennessee to take on the Titans.
Head Coach Josh McDaniels said he expects Andre’ Goodman and Ryan Harris to be able to suit up for the Week 4 clash. Both players missed last week’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
If Harris steps back into his starting role at right tackle, that would push Zane Beadles out of the lineup, but McDaniels is excited for what that would do to the depth of the offensive line.
“I think he’d be a really solid sixth lineman for us if he’s not starting because he has versatility to play inside and he can also be our third tackle and he’s done admirably there,” he said of Beadles. “So, if that’s the role he ends up fitting into, that’s fine.”
On the other side of the spectrum, the head coach said Knowshon Moreno and Spencer Larsen will most likely sit out Sunday’s game. That leaves Correll Buckhalter, Laurence Maroney and Andre Brown as the three running backs in the rotation, and tight end Dan Gronkowski has a chance to spend time as a fullback — something he did on occasion last week against the Colts.
“Gronkowski could play in the backfield a little bit more than what you have seen so far,” McDaniels said. “(He) did a good job last week of filling in for Spencer when Spencer went out, so it could happen more this week.”
As for the rest of the injury report, — Brian Dawkins (ankle) is listed as probable after participating fully in practice on Thursday and Friday, Goodman and Harris are officially listed as questionable, and Larsen, Moreno and Wesley Woodyard (hamstring) are officially out for the game.
Below are photos from Friday’s practice session.
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Andre Brown, Andre' Goodman, Correll Buckhalter, Dan Gronkowski, Knowshon Moreno, Laurence Maroney, Ryan Harris, Spencer Larsen, Tennessee Titans, Week 4, Zane Beadles
To the ones who are usually saying that it’s a good thing McD is a passing guru since the NFL has become a passing league, take a read:
In the end, the standings usually tell the tale, but in these high-flying times around the NFL when the thrown ball is king, winning hasn’t always followed along in the vapor trail. There also are four quarterbacks who could reach 1,200 yards passing by their fourth game, Orton included if he throws for 122 yards Sunday against the Titans. There have never been four quarterbacks to reach 1,200 yards passing after four games in the same season. Fun? Certainly. Entertaining? Sure. But those four guys Orton, Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Tony Romo — are a combined 5-7, with Manning the only one with a winning record.
Meanwhile, the top five rushing teams are a combined 11-4 after three weeks.
To concurr, no one will ever convince me that the game isn’t won in the trenches being able to run the rock and stop the run, that is what it’s all about in my book. And I hate to bring this up on game day, but today we have to slow a guy like Chris Johnson down, arguably the best back in the league, at least the fastest, and we are left to run the ball with the unenviable trio of Maroney-Bucky-Brown! If that doesn’t tell the tale of the game in a nutshell, I don’t know what does.
Bay- I agree. The pass should complement the run and vise versa. I am sure we will see an improvement this week and look forward to the game. However, It is nice to know that with our passing game we should have a shot to be contending for a win in the last quarter of any match-up. I would think that with such a young offensive line that running the ball would work to their strengths a little more anyway.
In a game like today, we all expect to see some runs from CJ. I just hate to see the team lose containment on the QB! and Vince Young is no slouch.
Let’s get this done Broncos, it is time to have the winning mentalitly!
‘winning mentality’
Maybe that can be our team’s identity. We are winners. I would settle for that…we find a way to win.
Orange, Blue and White crush today! (as apposed to just orange crush)
Yeah, Young getting a few big runs on us is one of the thing I pointed to in my score prediction pick last page. They’ll really have to watch for that or it will be a repeat performance of the Philadelphia game with Donovan who single handedly killed us with a big run at game’s end last year. I bet no one has forgotten that, or hopefully they haven’t, funny no one has mentioned that aspect of the game that I know of, not McD nor the players, well here you go, now you know, LOL.
Alright it’s game day! Best day of the week!!
Great to hear Harris & Goody are back. So O-line should be intact… also DB’s.
Tough challenge today in their house, but we’re ready!
Need Hunter & Ayers to get upfield and force Johnson inside. Mario and DJ should have a busy day ringing up tackles.
Let’s see if we can get some running lanes open for Maroney.
Congrats to Coach McD on the birth of his daughter!
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!
Two road games in a row bummer for rbf1, he’s gonna have to watch it on TV like us out of state fans…
LOL – that’s right bay.
Just reading up on Weatherspoon LB from Titans. Didn’t realize he joined them from the Eagles.
Titans first rd pick Morgan DE from Georgia Tech. Former teammate of D. Thomas.
You’re right Baylin. Teams that rack up a ton of passing yards are usually playing from behind, so you see the losing teams with big days in the air.looking at all the areas that Orton is number 2 statisticallly,you see that Rivers is number 1. A Quarterback of another 2-1 team.
As for today. Our o-line can’t handle their d-line and Maroney is still looking as unspectacular as he can. I love the intensity our defense is playing with. Let’s hope for a big play to get the momentum going our way!
Go Broncos!
First red zone trip = TOUCHDOWN!