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Posted: Sunday August 26, 2001 9:19 PM
Updated: Monday August 27, 2001 12:55 AM
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Sports Illustrated's Don Banks checks in from Denver to tackle three questions that matter to Broncos fans:
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With one week remaining in the preseason, who's got the pole position in
the Broncos' three-headed running back race? |
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Olandis Gary rushed for 1,159
yards in 12 games as a rookie in 1999.
AP |
If we had to lay a dollar down on the team's opening-night starter for
the Sept. 10 game against the New York Giants, it definitely would qualify as
a Las Vegas-sized gamble. But here goes: Olandis Gary.
Surprised? Maybe we are, too. At least a little.
Make no mistake, the team was encouraged by the showing of Terrell Davis on Saturday night against the Saints. Playing in his first game since
November, Davis ran hard, hit what holes there were to hit crisply, and
suffered no setbacks on his long road back from knee and hamstring miseries.
He needed a breather a time or two in his first-half stint,
but that was to be expected.
With that hurdle down, Davis will now get another start in the preseason
finale at home against San Francisco. If he runs well again and shows
increased stamina -- his only complaint Saturday was a case of heavy legs --
he'll probably earn the first crack at the starting job. But neither Gary or
Mike Anderson, last year's NFL offensive rookie of the year, are making it
easy on Davis.
Gary also turned in a quality showing against the defensively strong
Saints, carrying 11 times for 48 yards. Most of those yards came against a
fair number of New Orleans' first-team defenders, who played into the third
quarter. Then there's Anderson, who is the team's leading rusher this
preseason (162 yards) and was outstanding against the Saints (a game-high 73
yards on 13 carries).
So why Gary? Just a hunch. With his numbers, Anderson seems to deserve the
honor, and Davis' experience as a money back speaks for itself. But don't be
shocked if Gary is, well, the surprise choice. He's the Broncos most complete
back and has showed no drop-off in the wake of last year's season-ending ACL
surgery. That would give Davis more time to round into shape and still allow
the Broncos to rotate Anderson into games.
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With veteran backup quarterback Steve Beuerlein expected to be sidelined
with a partially torn elbow tendon until mid-season, will the team elect to
carry him on its roster or place him on injured reserve and lose him for the
season? |
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Steve Beuerlein passed for 3,730 yards with 19 TDs and 18 INTs last season for Carolina. AP |
It's a tough call and it'll come down to that 53rd and final spot
on the regular-season roster. But odds are, the Broncos will find a way to
carry Beuerlein. Given starting quarterback Brian Griese's history of
shoulder problems in the past two years -- nine missed starts since the middle
of 1999 -- head coach Mike Shanahan is intent on doing everything possible
to give the team another veteran option at the game's most pivotal position.
We say another because last year's backup, Gus Frerotte, didn't exactly
distinguish himself when Denver needed him most, in the Broncos' desultory
wild-card New Year's Eve playoff loss at Batimore. Beuerlein's signing was a
clear warning signal to Frerotte, and the former Redskins starter was
probably headed for the waiver wire himself until Beuerlein went down in
recent days. Second-year man Jarious Jackson is the team's fourth quarterback
and appears in no danger of being cut.
Shanahan's thinking seems to be that Beuerlein's real value as an
insurance policy will come from November on, which is roughly the portion of
the season Griese missed last year after suffering a separated AC joint
against Oakland on Monday Night Football. If he can have Beuerlein healthy
and ready to go at mid-season, it'll be worth letting him occupy a roster
spot in September and October.
One more element might make this a slam dunk decision. Denver finished
last year with two kickers on its roster, carrying Steve Lindsey just for
kickoffs. The Broncos will allow Jason Elam to handle both placements and
kickoffs this year, saving a roster spot that could keep Beuerlein active.
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Is first-round draft pick Willie Middlebrooks in position to make any
impact in Denver this year? |
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Willie Middlebrooks was the 24th overall selection in the April draft. AP |
The educated guess says no. The Broncos still haven't seen the
former University of Minnesota cornerback at full speed, and they may not get
the chance to in a live-game situation until 2002. This spring, both before
and after the draft, Middlebrooks still was hampered at times from the
effects of the broken leg he suffered two-thirds of the way through last
season, his junior year.
The Broncos, believing his combination of size and speed is rare, drafted him
anyway. But on the second day of training camp, Middlebrooks suffered an MCL
knee sprain and has yet to fully heal. Despite making some real progress last
week, and getting his first action of the preseason in the second half
against the Saints, Middlebrooks still battles a slight limp. The Broncos,
who are deep at cornerback, are thought to be learning toward placing him on
IR, letting him start fresh in 2002.
Late preseason injuries in the Denver secondary could change that
equation, as could the final shakedown of roster spots for special teams
players. Broncos hard-hitting safety Eric Brown sustained a concussion
Saturday night and will be evaluated early this week.
Starting right cornerback Denard Walker left the game briefly with a thigh
bruise, but re-entered and should be fine. Last year's No. 1 pick, Deltha
O'Neal, is the team's other starting corner, with the newly signed Eric Davis
and Jimmy Spencer in the key reserve roles.
With veteran Darryl Pounds also in the mix at corner, the Broncos can
afford to deal with Middlebrooks from a position of strength. That would
likely result in the 22-year-old rookie playing the healing game in 2001.
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