It has been a rough year for Broncos running backs, and now P.J. Pope and Selvin Young join their five ball-carrying teammates on IR.
Head Coach Mike Shanahan just announced in his press conference that the two running backs will be placed on injured reserve after suffering injuries in Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills. Pope tore his hamstring, and Young ruptured a disc in his back.
Shanahan also announced that the team would be signing Cory Boyd back onto the active roster from the practice squad along with re-signing Alex Haynes, who was on the roster earlier in the season.
– Adam Zinser, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Adam Zinser, P.J. Pope, Selvin Young
ONE NAME SHAUN ALEXANDER ring a bell anyone still available and one hell of a crunch time back not to mention he aint been hit in a year probably ready to run hard by now give him shot guys he wont let us down
You have got to be kidding me!!! Seven backs on IR? This sounds like a strength and conditioning issue to me.
Well with that said the team would be better off just giving the title to the Chargers and close the doors until next season. This year is more disapointing then last year. We have an offense that shows up when it wants and a Defense that just cannot show up at all. You could pull people off the street and make an offense that would score on this defense. I love my broncos but the D has embarrased us too much this year.
This is rediculous! I agree, I think all these backs on IR must bring attention to the strength and conditioning of thes guys. I wish some of these coordinators could be put on IR!
Who prepared these guys for the season?
Although some of these injuries were flukes I think the Broncos need to take a hard look at their strength and conditioning program. Sure wish we still had Hillis or Torain right now.
I just think Shannahan is joking with us now. This is absolutly insane! We need new strength coaches!
The injuries to Hillis and Torain would have happened to anybody, but I admit that all of the hamstring injuries concern me.
OMG!!!!!!!! You got to be flipping kidding.
Conditioning needs to be looked at on the off season. Need to get a better conditioning coach for sure!
We are gonna have plenty of competition next year for the RB back spots, it will be the position with the most players in it. Lets hope we do not draft another RB.
Anyone glad the season is almost over? 16 players on IR, a defense who couldn’t stop a runaway stroller and an offense with some many inconsistencies and and poor/choices ball support leads me to believe we need another 12th/13th overall pick.
Maybe we can address our LB corp issues with Maualuga now because our poor play coupled with late season surge by SD leads me down a road I wish Denver was not on… we’ll be giving Cry me a Rivers more room to taunt and act like the synonym for Donkey.
Anyone else want to see nothing but defensive players (maybe one offensive player) in the next draft or two?
I think we should just quit. it is hard to say, but really who are we going to fool. TATUM BELL IS NOT GOING TO CARRY THE TEAM> With that said, no one will not know that cutler is going to throw 50 damn times. This is no way to bring up a rookie qb. And for god sakes will someone say it, FIRE OUR ENTIRE COACHING STAFF! And last but not least dre bly is the worst corner i have ever seen, and needs to retire! ahh i feel better
I want to say we can go to the playoffs and pulloff upsets all the way to the superbowl but….we cant….and we know it. and another thing, if we didnt lose to the raiders and the chiefs, we would have probably still gone to playoffs even if we lost in sd this final game cuz we woulda both been 8-8 with our divisional record and conference record looking good….this team annoys me but i am excited for sundays game…lets see if they show up when its do or die
Maybe our RBs should sell phones to increase their durability.
jonny7……best blog Ive read in days….Tell shanny he can take bly with him to the next team….
I’ve supported and enjoyed the plug-n-play RB method Shanny has employed for years. Almost any warm body can rush for 1K a season within this excellent offense, but I wonder if a good argument for drafting a high-quality franchise style RB is longevity?
jonny7 – we all know bell cant carry this team…. and just to let you know, Cutler is not a rookie QB, this is his 3rd year!!!!! and he is a PRO BOWL QB NOW!!! so thats why im fine with Cutler leading this team past the chargers, even if it means him throwing the ball 50 times!!
Well Thats Sucks
Next Year I Think We Should Keep Alridge,Torian n Hillis n Get Rid of The Rest. Also Get Rid Of Bos and Bly .
The D has embarrased us too much this year.
I Agree With TU_HurricaneDB: About see nothing but defensive players (maybe one offensive player) in the next draft or two?
Come on guys. We will beat SD.
I live here in SD and these fans are pathetic. Booing their team one week and cheering like they just won the super bowl the next. So… Please stop trying to imitate the charger fans and lets get our BRONCOS positive and give them the support they will need.
I HAVE FAITH. I SUPPORT YOU GUYS.
Even amidst all the Charger Riff raff here in SD.
GO BRONCOS!
Some of the thinking on these posts are quite childish as well as not well thought out.
Granted hamstrings, etc. could have to do with conditioning, but ruptured disks, brocken bones, torn ligaments, etc. have nothing to do with conditioning and to blame it on that is just baby talk.
Second, yes our defense has obvious probs. but to not acknowledge that they play well at times and that they have often held teams to field goals in the red zone (even when out special teams has allowed offenses to start in from our own 45, etc., – again is childish – only to be topped off by really childish talk saying we could pick up guys off the street and put them in there. The defense can be tough at times. The real problem is that of playing tough and then giving up one big play in an instant. It seems that along with the numeous coaching changes, the departure of Wislon at MLB and our inability to put consistant pressure on QB
s – we have some serious defensive issues.
As for those who say we should just quit and shut the doors for the season, you apitomize what a quitter is all about. Quit winning and complaining and crying and look for sensible, constuctive answers to the problem. Complaining about the teams play and then showing oneself to be a down right quitter is more pathetic than any team problem ten fold.
Bly has problems, along with our safeties missing key tackles. Bly is meant to be a ball hawk when there is pressure on the QB – which we can’t get.
In terms of T.Bell – he is fumble prone and most likely will again if given enough chance, but more importantly he can not fight through initial contact to create plays like Hillis, etc. We need a pounder and this issue need to be address. Maybe this kid Boyd can show something?
I agree linebacker, corner backs/safties and pass rushers, run stoppers all need to be looked at in the offseason. But it is def. disappointing to to hear so many suppossed “fans” who have so much quit in them. You want the team to keep on fighting but you sit in your Lazy Boy and talk quit!!?
One must also look at Shannahan. Afterall a team is sculpted in the coaches image and takes on many of his traits. I’m not saying fire him, I’m saying take a look at it. I say one more year to produce or else.
This is crazy but quitting never solved anything. Quitting now would only make us look even more ridiculous than we have in the past 2 games. We rise then we fall… you guys have got to have faith that soon, like next season we’ll rise and stay there.
I see the frustration and believe me, I’m there with all of you on that… more than any of you know. Quitting on this team and bashing this team doesn’t solve any of our problems and its not going to make them go away and its not going to make anything better.
This is news is only insult to the injury but just hold tight and get some patience around here.
With faith…
GO BRONCOS!!!!!
Sorry folks I said it weeks ago this team would be lucky to finish 8-8, which they will, it would be amazing to see them beat s.d., but I don’t think they will, in thier house and all my bet is on s.d. and I’ve been DENVER FAN SINCE THE 60′S. Conditioning stinks our high defensive draft choices don’t live up to the bill. Everybody thinks Shanny is great but do you realize he has not done a d!#m thing since Eway retired. We need a great defensive cor. and other coachs like an Alex Gibbs, (who does he coach for now, yeah I know). Bowlen needs to wake up and get this team some quality people and quite farting around. This is just like the 60′s,”Well lets just wait till next year”. I could say alot more but I won’t they will lose next week which is alright because if they don’t they will be blown out by the Colts!!!
During the offseason I think that each and every back we have needs to go through a strength and durability test. This is just plain crazy. I know the HB position is the shortest lived position but these guys need to take care of themselves better. I know some of these injuries are pretty serious but where are all the tough backs. Davis, Anderson, Droughns, Portis, all those guys were the only back with maybe one backup. These new backs seem to be wusses and get hurt with every little thing. Our HB need some serious evaluation. In my opinion Hillis was the only one that looked like he was giving 100% all the time.
If it was purely strength and conditioning then it wouldn’t be happening to just one position, it would be hitting the entire team. Having said that I have no idea why the RBs are dropping like flies. It’s getting to be a joke. The first thing the Broncos need a new defensive coordinator… how about Wade Phillips if Jerry Jones fires him?
well lets see if tatum can step up because he really the only one we got left to count on running the ball
The first person to go needs to be the special teams couch and prater can go with him. The broncos put every team they play in good field position and even when we do get a stop we end up inside our own 10 when we receive the ball. How can you be a kicker in mile high and cant kick it into the endzone. The blogger that said to keep torain needs a wake up call, he is so injury prone look at college and now pro’s. i could be wrong but i think its time to spend some cash and get a proven back that is under 27 years old. Its also time to cut ties with jarvis and chalk it up as a loss. I dont think this d can be fixed in one offseason but i do think that we can find a couple key players to help out. I say draft nothing but defense this draft and go after the best rb in free agency. you would think that any rb in the league would love to come play for denver with that line and the way they run the ball. As far as the game with the chargers i hate to be negative but it is what it is, we ahve no chance.
i think were in a win win situation.if we beat s.d. great,playoffs here we come.if we lose it will get us a better draft pick for next year.we’re not quite ready this year on defense to go to the super bowl,but if we can have another draft like are last few, on defense ,we’ll be all right.GO BRONCOS
These bums just plain suk top to bottom. What can a bum like Wade Phillips do to help that. Look at where Dallas is with all the talent they have. And he was a bum the last time he was here.
Motivation is the problem in Denver. These young athletes only care about money and personal glory. We need a pro RB and MLB to lead these guys. Shaun Alexander may be old but he has heart and is a leader. Give him a try at least. And then get a MLB who has heart like T.J. or Wilson and we’ll be set.
Aside from when Shanny had Elway leading the team, when has Shanny actually produced the goods? Without Elway, Shanny has been totally lost. Weak recruitment, head-scratching releases, very questionable trades. He may have been a fairly decent OC but he ain’t no HC. He can’t evaluate talent, has personal issues with players and coaches that get in the way of his judgment, continually makes the wrong choices for defensives coaches and players, can’t motivate his team to step up and bring home the bacon. This guy is a master deceiver and should have been shown the door several years ago. I am fed up with his repeated excuse, “We just didn’t get it done.” My answer: “Fire his sorry — and bring in somebody who WILL get it done.”
2 words for Bowlen and Shannahan….MIKE ANDERSON!
I know what you guys mean. I have very little hope that we’ll beat the Chargers at home. They are a powerhouse and we have no defense. But, anything could happen on any Sunday. Even if we don’t get far into the playoffs. One playoff game for Cutler is good enough experience for next year. I know the injuries are just horrible, but like Al Wilson 4 Mayor said. The injuries that happened to Hillis and Torain could have happened to anyway. We would be better off with Hillis, he was a beast. But, we’ll have to play the cards we’re dealt. I hate the Chargers/Rivers/Tomlinson. Let’s make them regret it came down to this..
I feel the same frustration as everyone else. But, this is still a young team. The offence has incredible potential. If it was a bunch of veterans that had a couple years left then I would be worried. We will be back. Hillis and Torain will have the running game going. This is just a crazy year with injuries. The Cutler can get the offence rolling along especially in the redzone. The defence needs work. But we have a new defensive coordinator. We keep bringing in new people. And we have had tone of injuries. The nucleus is young and we will be a good team down the road. Young teams are inconsistent. We everyone is yelling jump ship. Remember a few weeks ago how you were praising this same team. I love the Broncos and will stay loyal through this rebuilding process. Which takes time.
The football gods really really really really really really really really really really hate the Broncos. We have got to be the team that was hit the hardest with injuries all across the board. And to all the fans that i saw leaving with 10 minutes left in the game……………. STAY IN YOUR FREAKING SEATS UNTIL THE FINAL SECOND!!!!!!!!! if you call yourself a fan. I froze my toes to the point where i had no feeling in them and i didn’t leave until the end. and to the (so called) fans that bought tickets and didn’t show up, WAY TO SUPPORT YOUR TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone should stop asking for Shaun Alexander or Mike Anderson. There is no point in bringing in old washed up talent. We have one regular season game left, so we just need to ride the Bell and Boyd train and see how they do for us. Everyone knows we are going to throw the ball a lot anyways. No need to bring in more people.
“We need a pounder and this issue need to be address. Maybe this kid Boyd can show something?”
Proud to say I was able to cheer Boyd on at USC for the past few years. We miss that kid, he has tons of heart. You should google him and read his story, it’s pretty remarkable.
Hope he does your Broncos as proud as he did our Gamecocks! We will all forever be Boyd fans.
Search him out on YouTube for his college highlights – Cory Boyd South Carolina.
One more thing. players to ditch in the off season: Selvin Young, Andre Hall, Michael Pittman, Nate Jackson, Dre Bly( couldn’t cover my grandma), M Manual, and Karl Paymah. And for all that is holy, draft a freakin defense!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To peterg: yes, Wade Phillips didn’t do much when he was here and isn’t doing much with the Cowboys, but that’s as a head coach. When he has been the DC (here, Buffalo, SD) those teams have had dominating Ds. He’s a great DC and a mediocre HC.
well this is getting crazy now, as a DIE HARD BRONCO FAN i just dont see how we have any chance of wining this game, but i hope they prove me wrong GO BRONCOS!!!!!!
Sounds like a bunch a quitters, most of you are not fans, just winners. You talk about “we” should do this and that. YOU aint doing anything except wine – ing. Back seat cry babies
the youth and inexperiance of our team plus all the injuries at the RB position are finally starting to wear on us. I mean Cutler, Marshall and Royal can only do so much, our O-line can only hold up for so long… regardless I’m not scared of the SD chargers….we beat them once already and we can beat them again….who cares if they are in SD, we place our best ball with our backs against the wall….like my entry before says go find out where Mike Anderson is and get him in a uni, if not him where’s Reuben Droughns?
we’ll be alright people….these situations make champions. lets put together a beast of a game plan and dominate!
This is really starting to get ridiculous I need to be kicking myself. To think If I had only done my conditioning 6 months ago I could be a running back for my favorite team. I have a lil’ semi pro experience, I’m 5’10 220lbs just like our rival LT except I ran lot harder instead of dancing like he does. Darn !!!! Maybe I can still make the practice squad. LOL
First thing i am gonna say is come sunday will be cheering for the DENVER BRONCOS….. This last lose made me so mad i wanted to throw up. I felt once we lost pope at running back we started to fade and all our confidense left our whole team… for the people that say we need to clean house i mean really, first we are young so of course we are going to be up and down all season, we have had so many injuries and look how the people who have stepped in have played, i think they have played pretty good. For the people that say lets get alex gibbs in here, he is an offensive line coach and i think our o line has done great this year they have to be at the top of the league this year and our running game hasn’t been to bad but since we haven’t had one man running back everyone thinks we don’t have a running game look at our running stats their pretty good for how many times we have thrown the ball. barret has played solid and nate webster needs to be a back up he is not starting material when it was our rookies playing linebackers they seemed to play better.. i have faith in our broncos and good job jay cutler for throwing for more then 4000 yards and setting the new team record for passing yards in a season.
sean alexander is on the redskins
what a bunch of whiney bandwagon jumpig fair weater fans! Give up how about SHUT UP!!! Bell might be fumble pron but he is also the last 1k yard rusher we had in Denver if you can’t show respect how about some Support! Get rid of Shanny?Can’t even dignify that hes built anothe O-Juggernaht that is apparent to ALL All TRUE FANS!Next the D showing some improvemet but still needs tweaking like a monster at M.L.B. and a Beast at D.T.and even a run stoping D.E. to go with Elvis!Dre’ Bly hes no #1 any more but we would have goten blown away without him! As Far as Shannys draftig it has vastly improved Jay.B-Marsh,Tony and just about every rookie this year (the entire N.F.L. is in awe ) so again What?And I gess you all waqnted Vanderjack! So if you jump off the bandwagon now stay off-dont want ya !dont need ya ! Go be a dolts fan (luke warm fans at best)Jay wont let Rivers (the child) have this one BET ON IT!!!If you cant be up for a football game like this you don’t have a pulse! Keep the faith GO Broncos!!!!!!!A.F.C. West Champs!!!!!!!!!!!!
GET IT TOGETHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeah the D is weak the O is inconsistent but we still got a chance!!! we are one of the youngest teams in the league so you gotta expect some inconsistency. We are in year three on what could be a dynasty in the makin ask Peyton and Tom what there thoughts are on the subject Lets get in front of the tube or to you local watering hole on sun night and root till we are hoarse and blue in the face!!! Lets send the baby Rivers and L.T. home for the new year!!
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can some of you do me a freakin favor?
DON’T COME ON HERE TELLING ME WHAT YOU SAID 10 DAM$ WEEKS AGO!!
The team stumbles and here ya come like roaches wanting bozo buttons because you are 1 win/loss away from your record prediction. WTF!
It amazes me that some of you take the time to even log on! Anyone who blasts Cutler is an idiot! This guy has come on and taken the team on HIS shoulders! He has seen 7 RB’s go into his backfield thus forcing him to put the games into his own hands.
Trust me! as most of you I was dissgusted on Sunday!
But you will never get me to admit that DENVER CAN’T WIN ON SUNDAY!
How many players would you take over denvers?
I’ll take the following:
Denver’s ENTIRE O LINE
sorry
Cutler
Our entire WR core and TE’s
Both Bly and Champ
I’ll take DJ & Woodyard
Barrett
I guess I’m saying this team has talent and whether it shows up on Sunday remains to be seen….
BUT DON’T TELL ME IT CAN’T BE DONE!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
COLORADO CUTLER, WELL SAID!
It amazes me that when we lose people go off the deep end. I’m all for blogging to say WTF! but come on?
For example: Jay going to the end zone twice? I don’t understand why we didn’t check down, pick up the first down, call time out and go at it again.
Also, I’m not sure why we went to an almost all passing 4th Qtr. I know now that pope and young were done but what about tatum? I guess Cutler just took it upon himself.
Well, it took 24 hours but now I’m back and saddled up again. Actually, having to wait til sunday is going to SUCK!
Screw those helmets on tight boys! this is going to be a battle!
OH AND BY THE WAY, I WOUDLN’T WANT ANYONE BUT JAY FOR THIS GAME!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
I read a post from someone who stated, “Shannahan could not recognize talent.” R u freakin kidding me? That’s why there is so many upset fans. Our Broncos team is loaded with talent!!! Yes, I’m frustrated as much as the next fan, but one thing this team does not lack is talent.
I sincerely believe we have the defense pretty well in place. I know, I know, most of you will say our “defense sucks.” On the contrary, they are a very aggressive, persuit driven, swarm the ball defense. Sometimes our defense over persues and swarm to fast leaving themselves open to mistakes. This happens in the NFL. The real weak link of the defense is two positions. D – Tackle and D – End. Dummerville is a speed rusher. He needs a big push from the middle to make stuff happen. If a QB has to move left or right from the pressure of the middle Dummerville will get to him. Our tackles are too small and are not capable of getting to the QB or even pressuring the opposing QB.
Dre Bly is not a bad corner. He is not a shut down corner, but is a ball hawk. Without pressure from the d-line he cannot use his abilities to lure the opposing QB into making a mistake. Not even Champ Bailey is getting interceptions like he used to. Why? There is no pressure on the QB’s. Now Champ Bailey is a special athlete, but without pressure from the D-line our LB’s & DB’s are left in la la land. Our defense requires to big tackles and one or two new D-ends.
As far as the offense is concerned. Let’s see, Loaded with so much young talent the rest of the NFL is scared of this offense. Unfortunately injuries have made us one dimentional. Without a solid running game, it doesn’t matter who we have at QB or WR. Believe me, this team is capable of winning in SD. Provided the running game is present and our defense plays the game of the season. I know the defensive game plan will be to stop the run and force Rivers to beat us. Defense must be aware of screen plays, LT and Sproals. Champ is back, thank goodness, but even he needs help.
Nobody said it was easy being a Broncos fan. If they loose, we’ll be right back here next season and even during the off-season cheering, pissing and moaning and giving out two cents worth. Enough of the BS with calling people fair weather fans, or not dedicated fans, or I’m a better fan than you. We are all fans, if we were not we would not come here to either cheer, vent, or place our two cents worth. If you do not agree with what someone says don’t respond. Who are you to tell others what to do? If a fan wants to gripe that is what this site is for. If a fan wants to be positive, again that is what this site is for. We all have a common interest in the success of Broncos football, we also have another thing in common, NONE OF US GET PAID TO COACH OR PLAY FOR THE DENVER BRONCOS. In essence we have no bearing on how the players play or the results on the field. All we can do is show up every Sunday cheer on our team. The players have to produce the desired result or they will get an undesirable response.
None of us fans are perfect, but live for each sunday/mon/thurs that our team plays for 16 weeks. We live through these NFL teams. Our teams represent where many of us are from , so there is a sense of personnel pride with every victory and shame with every defeat. As a fan we invest an aweful lot of time, emotion and money into our beloved Broncos and when they loose we are hurt and react in anger. We have a place to vent to others who share in our joy’s and Sorrows. Again, stop bashing anyone who post’s their opinion. Because like I said before, that’s all it is. their opinion. Last time I checked it’s a free country so people still have that left. Happy Holiday’s to all and good luck Denver in SD.
Frustrated, but bleed Orange and Blue GO BRONCOS!!!!!
Go Broncos!