Every down back.........BS

[Zoneblock249]

I get tired of hearing this label for RBs, I think teams buy to much into this If a guy can run the ball it really doesnt matter what down it is and then they throw in the pass blocking factor and catching out the back field, hell Barry Sanders wasnt the best blocker but was in on all 3 downs. How many of you believe its an overrated label.

[Clint]

:wave:..........

[Starbroncs]

I dont think its overrated, it really just means the rb cant take much of a beating, horrible durability.

[stnzed]

Yeah, who really wants a complete back when you can have one for each situation?......

[MindField]

I think you need at least two backs, and that has been proven in recent years.

I bet Terrell Davis wonders how much longer his career would have lasted if O'Shanny had not run him into the dirt.

[samparnell]

I get tired of hearing this label for RBs, I think teams buy to much into this If a guy can run the ball it really doesnt matter what down it is and then they throw in the pass blocking factor and catching out the back field, hell Barry Sanders wasnt the best blocker but was in on all 3 downs. How many of you believe its an overrated label.

... , but did you watch the game at San Diego?:confused:

Remember a third down situation when Henry was in the backfield with Cutler?
It was a pass attempt and the Chargers sent an inside backer on a blitz. Travis Henry didn't even slow the blitzer down. Did about as much good as speed bumps in a high school parking lot shortly after the end of the school day.:eek:

So, you tell me. IS blocking overrated? Well, it IS football. Is there much outside of blocking and tackling in it?:duh:

Travis is 5'9" and 230. He's already low. Can't he cut the guy? It's OK, he's in the box.:rolleyes:

[GridironChamp]

No its not overrated....

Yes having a good spell guy/change of pace back is almost a need now, but you still want that one guy that will bust you 1700 + yards. Its just different when you have one guy that can catch, block, run up the middle, run you over, run outside, out run you, ect...

Compared to when you bring in a speed back that will only run outside and try to outrun you, or a guy that is soley for short yardage or blocking. Let your ends crash and the OLBs peeking in because he isnt busting a 30 yarder down the sideline.

If you have a chance to take an everydown back you do, just like with a real franchise QB. No matter how many situational backs you have.

[Zoo Crew]

Every down back?

Let's take the AFC West...

Would you rather have LT or the 50 backs we have?

Would rather have LJ or the 200 backs we have?

Would you rather have Run DMC, or the 3,000 backs we have?

Don't get me wrong, I see some seriously hidden talent in our stable of backs, but I'd give them all up for one of those guys.

[broncos1997]

Every down back?

Let's take the AFC West...

Would you rather have LT or the 50 backs we have?

Would rather have LJ or the 200 backs we have?

Would you rather have Run DMC, or the 3,000 backs we have?

Don't get me wrong, I see some seriously hidden talent in our stable of backs, but I'd give them all up for one of those guys.

ok maybe the LT one, but L.J. wasn't exactly stellar last season, and i'd take torain over DMC any day.

[kratos_godofwar]

ok maybe the LT one, but L.J. wasn't exactly stellar last season, and i'd take torain over DMC any day.

Well, you are blind then my friend. LJ had 2 straight seasons of being the most consistant RB in the league. You try having a stellar year with no O-Line and being ran 400+ times in the previous season. Your body can't take the punishment 2 years in a row. I'd take McFadden over any of our backs, people seem to misjudge his strength and durability. He'll show everyone that he is stronger than people think.

[elevation INC]

We dont need an every down back we need a rushing tandem like jacksonvilles

the key to success in our run game will be how close we can get to a rushing team like jacksonville. neither drew or taylor relies soley on speed they rely on power as well. we dont have 1 back on our roster right now that can say they have both speed and power. its the whole reason we run this stupid committe thing.


I have my own feelings about who i feel is the best back on our roster, but

Henry cant block for crap and lacks speed but has power, the same for bell he lacks breakaway speed but he can block and has power, Selvin has durability issues, cant block and has little power but has speed, hall is fast and has some power but is very raw he is lucky to even have a shot at playing and he is probally a decent 4th back on the depth chart not much more, but he was kept mostly for the return game. and torain and alridge are question marks.


they key for us would be to get 2 backs that rival each other in power and speed. Torain may be 1 but no one can know untill the season begins.
untill we get 2 guys that rival each other like jacksonville we will always do this comitte thing.



i can say that i dont think shanny is as high on this change of pace back like all the fans. i think he would rather want a guy that can carry consistently and move the chains and control the clock. change of pace backs dont do this they are suppose to be explosive playmakers. the only explosive playmaker i see that is a RB on our roster right now is alridge, but it remains to be seen if he can even make the transition to the nfl!!!!


i really dont think shanny cares about 50 yd runs in one shot only to end up with a field goal, as much as if we roll 8 minutes of the clock on a 75 yd TD drive with power running

[Poindexter]

LT played damn near every down and wore himself into the ground in 2 seasons. Now he is injured and talking about how much longer he will be willing to play...

LJ was run into the ground over the last few seasons and had an awful season last year showing his wear and tear.

Can both of them still play? Yes. Will they play up to the level they played 2 years ago? History shows with other RB's that they may not be able to get back to that level of production. I'm not ruling it out, but the stats are not on their side.

Do you comprehend exactly how much punishment you ask a RB to endure each season when you make them the exclusive back?

Steven Jackson, Priest Holmes, Jarome Bettis, Terrell Davis, Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders, and Shawn Alexander have all been quoted at one time, or another saying that they valued the back up help, because the workload is too much for single back to carry.

Now you are asking Run DMC (an unproven, rookie back) to carry a team that couldn't muster an offense to save it's life last season. He hasn't even shown he can reliably break an arm tackle let alone carry a team for a season.

If running by committee is what it takes to keep our backs healthy, and playing reliably, longer then I say hell yes. I'd much rather have 2, or 3 decent, healthy backs than 1 back who we are going to run into the ground and will have to be replaced in a couple years.

[BroncoKazuki]

See the thing is like most things.


You need a threat... that would be your every down franchise back. See let him lose year 1 or 2 and that Defense will always try to stop him and key on him opening the flat and exposing the middle between the Safety and MILB.

Then you got a change of pace back that will play relief between every so downs.

So if your main back does 10 plays the Change of Pace back will do 5 sort of a 2 to 1 ratio.


The broncos problem is, each back comes in can only have a few carries. Its a total roll over, the other problem all the backs we have suck far more but due to the Broncos Run system they dont suck as much.

I bet you if you put our RB's in a different team they would never make the team/pulled from the game due to poor performance. Henry as of now would be considered over the hill and his performance is degrading.

[no-pseudo-fan]

Every down back?

Let's take the AFC West...

Would you rather have LT or the 50 backs we have?

Would rather have LJ or the 200 backs we have?

Would you rather have Run DMC, or the 3,000 backs we have?

Don't get me wrong, I see some seriously hidden talent in our stable of backs, but I'd give them all up for one of those guys.

I don't want McFadden on a train, in a plane, or in the rain. I do not like McFadden Zoo Crew, not on down one or on down two.

[AC1]

I think all things being equal, you want the guy who can be an every-down back, meaning that he is on the field no matter the situation (first-and-goal, third-and-long, two-minute-drill etc.). This helps in at least two ways. First, your entire play-book is available at all times, unlike with us where Young being on the field means that the chances of an inside running play are low (not zero, but still lower than if Henry is on the field). This gives the defensive coordinators a bit of an edge. Second, your every-down back can get into a groove against the tendencies of the defense, which is an advantage as the game wears on.

However, here's the problem with every-down franchise backs. They cost a lot of money while playing the most punishing position on the field. Cadillac Williams has displayed both the benefit and the drawback of having a franchise back. This risk-to-return ratio makes them poor investments to some. Of course, nothing stops you from drafting your next franchise back every time one goes down, but that is money that you cannot use to fix other areas of your team.

Ultimately, I think this is a matter of individual preference. Fortunately for us, it appears as if Shanahan isn't stubbornly attached to either school of thought. We haven't had a franchise back since Portis, but the presence of Maroney and Stewart on our draft boards recently indicates that Shanahan isn't averse to the idea of one.

[JoRo]

Well even if you have an every down back I hope you don't overload him with 370+ carries then resign him for a big contract (LJ and Shaun Alexander)


I am kind of glad with a two back approach. We basically have a starter who should get between 200-300 carries and a backup to get the rest (in theory it hasn't worked out that well last season)

[JoRo]

I think you need at least two backs, and that has been proven in recent years.

I bet Terrell Davis wonders how much longer his career would have lasted if O'Shanny had not run him into the dirt.

After 479 (i believe) carries it is at least partially true. (I may be wrong on the count but that I think is the 98 season total counting playoffs)

[Flatlander Fan]

As with most threads of this nature, it makes me think about which TEAMS have had success in recent years rather than which PLAYERS have had success.

So, I went and looked up the list of Super Bowl winners from the past years (because my ability to recall this info on my own is subpar :confused:). What did I find? Most, if not all, teams that have won the Super Bowl since Denver did back in the glory days have not had what you would refer to as an every down back. Baltimore appears to be the only one (Jamal Lewis) who truly had an every down runner.

So, is having an every down back overrated? Recent league results would suggest that perhaps it is.

[DiegoBRONCOFAN]

We dont need an every down back we need a rushing tandem like jacksonvilles

the key to success in our run game will be how close we can get to a rushing team like jacksonville. neither drew or taylor relies soley on speed they rely on power as well. we dont have 1 back on our roster right now that can say they have both speed and power. its the whole reason we run this stupid committe thing.


I have my own feelings about who i feel is the best back on our roster, but

Henry cant block for crap and lacks speed but has power, the same for bell he lacks breakaway speed but he can block and has power, Selvin has durability issues, cant block and has little power but has speed, hall is fast and has some power but is very raw he is lucky to even have a shot at playing and he is probally a decent 4th back on the depth chart not much more, but he was kept mostly for the return game. and torain and alridge are question marks.


they key for us would be to get 2 backs that rival each other in power and speed. Torain may be 1 but no one can know untill the season begins.
untill we get 2 guys that rival each other like jacksonville we will always do this comitte thing.



i can say that i dont think shanny is as high on this change of pace back like all the fans. i think he would rather want a guy that can carry consistently and move the chains and control the clock. change of pace backs dont do this they are suppose to be explosive playmakers. the only explosive playmaker i see that is a RB on our roster right now is alridge, but it remains to be seen if he can even make the transition to the nfl!!!!


i really dont think shanny cares about 50 yd runs in one shot only to end up with a field goal, as much as if we roll 8 minutes of the clock on a 75 yd TD drive with power running

This is a great post! When I read the topic I instantly shared elevation's same thoughts. You need two of the same and not a "change of pace" back who almost tells the defense "outside run or screen." I'm all for giving a guy a breather and limiting the punishment but not at the risk of tipping off the defense as to what your next play will be.

[samparnell]

It will be RB by committee. The team will have five RBs on the roster and will only suit four or even three for the game. As long as the group can collectively produce the necessary 2000+ yds rushing, does it matter?

[Atl. Donkey]

Hey Mindfield, from what I remember I don't believe Shanny ran TD into the dirt. It just happened that John retired and left us with a Griese who threw a pick. TD tried to make a tackle at the sideline, and well... the rest is history. It's a shame because he probably had a few good years left( enough to solidify the HOF). I say we blame Johnny, if he stayed he would have been the only QB to win three in a row

[stnzed]

You'd rather have Ryan Torain than Darren McFadden? ONLY on a Denver Broncos Message Board......Ri-F'ing-diculous!

Lay off the Kool-Aid......

[Ravage!!!]

As with most threads of this nature, it makes me think about which TEAMS have had success in recent years rather than which PLAYERS have had success.

So, I went and looked up the list of Super Bowl winners from the past years (because my ability to recall this info on my own is subpar :confused:). What did I find? Most, if not all, teams that have won the Super Bowl since Denver did back in the glory days have not had what you would refer to as an every down back. Baltimore appears to be the only one (Jamal Lewis) who truly had an every down runner.

So, is having an every down back overrated? Recent league results would suggest that perhaps it is.

Indianapolis didn't have an every down back in Addai? St. Louis Rams didn't have one in Faulk? Baltimore Ravens... the NE Patriots certainly had one in Antwan Smith in 2001and Cory Dillon in 2004.

Willie Parker ran the ball 255 times in 2005, the Steelers Super Bowl season. Lewis for the Raven only had 309 rushing attempts that season. Thats 3 carries a game difference. Bettis had 110 carries while Holmes (back up to Lewis) had 137 carries. Interestingly enough, (if you only counted the two top rushers per team)... that Parker carried the ball 69.8%, and Lewis carried the ball 69.2% of the carries.

Antwaan Smith had 287 carries in 2001, that was 84.9% (again, counting the rushes between only the top two carriers on the team). Joseph Addai had 226 rushes (54.7%) while Rhodes had 187 (45.2%). St. Louis' Marshall Faulk ran the ball 253 carries (76%) while Holcombe only had 78 (23.5%). Cory Dillon had 345 carries in 2004 (the most of anyone by far so far) while his back up, Kevin Faulk, only carried the ball 54 times. That means Cory carried 86.4% of the carries between them, while Faulk on had 13.5%.

Now.. if you want to include receiving touches as well...

Marshall Faulk in 1999 had 87 catches... that brings his touches to (between the two) to 78.7%

Parker had 18 catches to Bettis' 4... so he had 70.5% of the touches.

Jamal Lewis had 66.5% and Priest Holmes had 33.4%

Antwaan Smith had 80.1% of the touches in 2001 while Marc Edwards had 19.8%

Joseph Addai had 40 catches and had 54% of the touches to Dominic Rhode's 45.6% (the closest of any of the teams)

Cory Dillon had 81.8% to his back up having 18.1%

[Ravage!!!]

I think you need at least two backs, and that has been proven in recent years.

I bet Terrell Davis wonders how much longer his career would have lasted if O'Shanny had not run him into the dirt.

:laugh: WHAT!!??!?! This doesn't even make sense! :laugh: You are SOOOO hellbent on attacking Shanahan at every turn, that you are completely making stuff up. :rolleyes:

[Ravage!!!]

ok maybe the LT one, but L.J. wasn't exactly stellar last season, and i'd take torain over DMC any day.

you do realize Larry Johnson missed MORE than half the season last year, right?

[91bronco]

I think all things being equal, you want the guy who can be an every-down back, meaning that he is on the field no matter the situation (first-and-goal, third-and-long, two-minute-drill etc.). This helps in at least two ways. First, your entire play-book is available at all times, unlike with us where Young being on the field means that the chances of an inside running play are low (not zero, but still lower than if Henry is on the field). This gives the defensive coordinators a bit of an edge. Second, your every-down back can get into a groove against the tendencies of the defense, which is an advantage as the game wears on.

However, here's the problem with every-down franchise backs. They cost a lot of money while playing the most punishing position on the field. Cadillac Williams has displayed both the benefit and the drawback of having a franchise back. This risk-to-return ratio makes them poor investments to some. Of course, nothing stops you from drafting your next franchise back every time one goes down, but that is money that you cannot use to fix other areas of your team.

Ultimately, I think this is a matter of individual preference. Fortunately for us, it appears as if Shanahan isn't stubbornly attached to either school of thought. We haven't had a franchise back since Portis, but the presence of Maroney and Stewart on our draft boards recently indicates that Shanahan isn't averse to the idea of one.


Great Post! I think there is a balance between running your RB into the ground and maintaining the most available plays for your offense. Just because your "every down" back has all skills for all situations doesn't mean you necessarily want to use him every down. Most runningbacks are hurt at some point during the season so it is a necessity in todays NFL to have 2 decent runningbacks. 2 "every down" backs would be preferential but going yin and yang (Anderson, Tater) can also be effective.

[Flatlander Fan]

Indianapolis didn't have an every down back in Addai? St. Louis Rams didn't have one in Faulk? Baltimore Ravens... the NE Patriots certainly had one in Antwan Smith in 2001and Cory Dillon in 2004.

Willie Parker ran the ball 255 times in 2005, the Steelers Super Bowl season. Lewis for the Raven only had 309 rushing attempts that season. Thats 3 carries a game difference. Bettis had 110 carries while Holmes (back up to Lewis) had 137 carries. Interestingly enough, (if you only counted the two top rushers per team)... that Parker carried the ball 69.8%, and Lewis carried the ball 69.2% of the carries.

Antwaan Smith had 287 carries in 2001, that was 84.9% (again, counting the rushes between only the top two carriers on the team). Joseph Addai had 226 rushes (54.7%) while Rhodes had 187 (45.2%). St. Louis' Marshall Faulk ran the ball 253 carries (76%) while Holcombe only had 78 (23.5%). Cory Dillon had 345 carries in 2004 (the most of anyone by far so far) while his back up, Kevin Faulk, only carried the ball 54 times. That means Cory carried 86.4% of the carries between them, while Faulk on had 13.5%.

Now.. if you want to include receiving touches as well...

Marshall Faulk in 1999 had 87 catches... that brings his touches to (between the two) to 78.7%

Parker had 18 catches to Bettis' 4... so he had 70.5% of the touches.

Jamal Lewis had 66.5% and Priest Holmes had 33.4%

Antwaan Smith had 80.1% of the touches in 2001 while Marc Edwards had 19.8%

Joseph Addai had 40 catches and had 54% of the touches to Dominic Rhode's 45.6% (the closest of any of the teams)

Cory Dillon had 81.8% to his back up having 18.1%

Wow, that's some serious research into this. I certainly stand corrected. :salute:

I was equating an every down back with a dominating running back. I think the case can be made for Faulk and Lewis (maybe Addai, although it's the Colts' line that is dominant) but can you for the rest of them? (Too lazy to look at the stats at this point)

[Zoo Crew]

LT played damn near every down and wore himself into the ground in 2 seasons. Now he is injured and talking about how much longer he will be willing to play...

LJ was run into the ground over the last few seasons and had an awful season last year showing his wear and tear.

Can both of them still play? Yes. Will they play up to the level they played 2 years ago? History shows with other RB's that they may not be able to get back to that level of production. I'm not ruling it out, but the stats are not on their side.

Do you comprehend exactly how much punishment you ask a RB to endure each season when you make them the exclusive back?

Steven Jackson, Priest Holmes, Jarome Bettis, Terrell Davis, Marshall Faulk, Barry Sanders, and Shawn Alexander have all been quoted at one time, or another saying that they valued the back up help, because the workload is too much for single back to carry.

Now you are asking Run DMC (an unproven, rookie back) to carry a team that couldn't muster an offense to save it's life last season. He hasn't even shown he can reliably break an arm tackle let alone carry a team for a season.

If running by committee is what it takes to keep our backs healthy, and playing reliably, longer then I say hell yes. I'd much rather have 2, or 3 decent, healthy backs than 1 back who we are going to run into the ground and will have to be replaced in a couple years.

Ok, that's a solid point, but look at the name of running backs you have up there...

Do you see anyone on our roster with the talent of ANY of them? And don't say Torain because there is no guarantee that he will even play this year, so he needs to get on the field before he can even be in this conversation.

So, your point was that we need someone to help shoulder the load to pro-long the career of the running backs. But what is wrong with having that stud running back, and just scaling his touches back a little.

Take TD. What if TD had someone else to take 10-12 carries a game away from him? That would fit your definition wouldn't it? But TD would still be the feature back.

That's what I want, a feature back that can do it all. A back that when the game is on the line, there is no question who you are giving the ball to. You can have that Change of Pace guy, you can have that pounder to get the hard yards, but seriously, you've got to have the guy that instills fear in the defense.

Hypothetically speaking, using 3 of our rookies, here is a great example of what I would want to see in our backfield...

Let's say that Torain is the steal many think he is. Let's say he's the next big thing in Orange and Blue. And in this hypothetical you also assume that each player is everything we need them to be. This is not a prediction, it is merely an example.

Ok, so you take Torain, and then you package him with a scat back like Anthony Aldridge, and a fullback like Peyton Hillis. Torain takes 20-25 carries a game, Aldridge would then get 10-12, and Hillis would get 5-8 carries. The low side that is 35 carries a game, which is close to what we normally run on a day when the running game is working well. You're not grinding the starter, but your also not taking the game out of his hands as well.

You have contrasting styles, you are not wearing your feature back down, and you mix in a FB that can keep teams honest. That's an ideal situation, but it still comes down to needing that ONE feature back to set it all up.

Now again, I'm not saying that Torain and Aldridge are going to claim the top two spots, hell I don't even know if they will both make the team, I was just using them as an example.

[Ravage!!!]

Ok, that's a solid point, but look at the name of running backs you have up there...

Do you see anyone on our roster with the talent of ANY of them? And don't say Torain because there is no guarantee that he will even play this year, so he needs to get on the field before he can even be in this conversation.

So, your point was that we need someone to help shoulder the load to pro-long the career of the running backs. But what is wrong with having that stud running back, and just scaling his touches back a little.

Take TD. What if TD had someone else to take 10-12 carries a game away from him? That would fit your definition wouldn't it? But TD would still be the feature back.

That's what I want, a feature back that can do it all. A back that when the game is on the line, there is no question who you are giving the ball to. You can have that Change of Pace guy, you can have that pounder to get the hard yards, but seriously, you've got to have the guy that instills fear in the defense.

Hypothetically speaking, using 3 of our rookies, here is a great example of what I would want to see in our backfield...

Let's say that Torain is the steal many think he is. Let's say he's the next big thing in Orange and Blue. And in this hypothetical you also assume that each player is everything we need them to be. This is not a prediction, it is merely an example.

Ok, so you take Torain, and then you package him with a scat back like Anthony Aldridge, and a fullback like Peyton Hillis. Torain takes 20-25 carries a game, Aldridge would then get 10-12, and Hillis would get 5-8 carries. The low side that is 35 carries a game, which is close to what we normally run on a day when the running game is working well. You're not grinding the starter, but your also not taking the game out of his hands as well.

You have contrasting styles, you are not wearing your feature back down, and you mix in a FB that can keep teams honest. That's an ideal situation, but it still comes down to needing that ONE feature back to set it all up.

Now again, I'm not saying that Torain and Aldridge are going to claim the top two spots, hell I don't even know if they will both make the team, I was just using them as an example.

I'm with you on this, good post. A feature back, a stud back, a back that makes teams have to stack the box and worry about.... is MUCH better for the success of a team than a RBBC that features three average backs. Because you will only have ONE of those average backs on the field at any one time. So that means, you always have an average back. That makes it SOOO much easier on the other teams to blitz, full out rush, or man-to-man on our WRs.

Your suggestion is ideal. But when you have that STUD back on the field, its hard to pull him out at 25 carries when the team is holding that lead and running the ball. You don't just want to put the back-up in.

We'll get that eventually. Those truly stud backs, don't grow on trees.

[Poindexter]

Ok, that's a solid point, but look at the name of running backs you have up there...

Do you see anyone on our roster with the talent of ANY of them? And don't say Torain because there is no guarantee that he will even play this year, so he needs to get on the field before he can even be in this conversation.

So, your point was that we need someone to help shoulder the load to pro-long the career of the running backs. But what is wrong with having that stud running back, and just scaling his touches back a little.

Take TD. What if TD had someone else to take 10-12 carries a game away from him? That would fit your definition wouldn't it? But TD would still be the feature back.

That's what I want, a feature back that can do it all. A back that when the game is on the line, there is no question who you are giving the ball to. You can have that Change of Pace guy, you can have that pounder to get the hard yards, but seriously, you've got to have the guy that instills fear in the defense.

Hypothetically speaking, using 3 of our rookies, here is a great example of what I would want to see in our backfield...

Let's say that Torain is the steal many think he is. Let's say he's the next big thing in Orange and Blue. And in this hypothetical you also assume that each player is everything we need them to be. This is not a prediction, it is merely an example.

Ok, so you take Torain, and then you package him with a scat back like Anthony Aldridge, and a fullback like Peyton Hillis. Torain takes 20-25 carries a game, Aldridge would then get 10-12, and Hillis would get 5-8 carries. The low side that is 35 carries a game, which is close to what we normally run on a day when the running game is working well. You're not grinding the starter, but your also not taking the game out of his hands as well.

You have contrasting styles, you are not wearing your feature back down, and you mix in a FB that can keep teams honest. That's an ideal situation, but it still comes down to needing that ONE feature back to set it all up.

Now again, I'm not saying that Torain and Aldridge are going to claim the top two spots, hell I don't even know if they will both make the team, I was just using them as an example.

It sounds very much like we are on the same page.

I know we don't currently have a player that I would currently compare to a Faulk, or Sanders. Chances of another player like either of those two coming along are slim at best. We are talking about 2 of the greatest backs to ever play the game.

Torain may turn out to be a good back, but that remains to be seen. Henry had flashes of brilliance in his career, but I honestly have not seen that since prior to his coming to Denver. Alridge could make an impact, but he too has not been proven to even make the team.

What I see right now when I look at Denver's RB situation is a team that needs an icon. We need a player to step up and show that he is the go to guy. I hope that training camp will allow someone to emerge from the competition for a roster spot with the intent of being that player.

I have no problem with run by committee as long as our committee does not consist of a couple of injury prone, has-been players who cannot prove themselves. I honestly feel that Henry has lost his ability to compete and his knees have limited what potential he has left. He might have 1 good season left, but even that I feel is a stretch.

Ultimately I hope one of our rookies steps up and shows why he deserves to play in the NFL. I also know many people would disagree with me, but I think Selvin Young can produce with another year of experience under his belt.

Only time will tell at this point. If there is a weakness on our team it is here in the RB position. I am waiting for them to prove me wrong.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

You'd rather have Ryan Torain than Darren McFadden? ONLY on a Denver Broncos Message Board......Ri-F'ing-diculous!

Lay off the Kool-Aid......

Thanks for addressing the pink elephant in the room. :salute:

[rst08tierney]

We dont need an every down back we need a rushing tandem like jacksonvilles

the key to success in our run game will be how close we can get to a rushing team like jacksonville. neither drew or taylor relies soley on speed they rely on power as well. we dont have 1 back on our roster right now that can say they have both speed and power. its the whole reason we run this stupid committe thing.


I have my own feelings about who i feel is the best back on our roster, but

Henry cant block for crap and lacks speed but has power, the same for bell he lacks breakaway speed but he can block and has power, Selvin has durability issues, cant block and has little power but has speed, hall is fast and has some power but is very raw he is lucky to even have a shot at playing and he is probally a decent 4th back on the depth chart not much more, but he was kept mostly for the return game. and torain and alridge are question marks.


they key for us would be to get 2 backs that rival each other in power and speed. Torain may be 1 but no one can know untill the season begins.
untill we get 2 guys that rival each other like jacksonville we will always do this comitte thing.



i can say that i dont think shanny is as high on this change of pace back like all the fans. i think he would rather want a guy that can carry consistently and move the chains and control the clock. change of pace backs dont do this they are suppose to be explosive playmakers. the only explosive playmaker i see that is a RB on our roster right now is alridge, but it remains to be seen if he can even make the transition to the nfl!!!!


i really dont think shanny cares about 50 yd runs in one shot only to end up with a field goal, as much as if we roll 8 minutes of the clock on a 75 yd TD drive with power running


Great post, but I would have taken it more seriously if you sig did not have the broncos going 2-5 through the first 7 of 2008.

[mb3playa]

if you have an everydown back you can run anyplay on anydown and you dont telegraph it by who you have in the backfield.

[elevation INC]

Great post, but I would have taken it more seriously if you sig did not have the broncos going 2-5 through the first 7 of 2008.



thats just how it is we play some very good teams at the start of the season and we have alot of question marks at key positions....RB/WR/OL/ILB


its very possible we wont gel untill week seven

[Dean]

I think you need at least two backs, and that has been proven in recent years.

I bet Terrell Davis wonders how much longer his career would have lasted if O'Shanny had not run him into the dirt.

Either you don't remember what happened to TD or you are misrepresenting what occured.

There was an interception. Matt Lepsis and TD were trying to make the tackle. Lepsis was approached from the front and td from the back and side. When Lepsis attempted to make the tackle, he spun off and leg whippen TD.

That blew out TDs knee ending that season. TD tried to come back but the as I remember it both of his knees gave him problems from then on.

[Hoserman117]

I think you need at least two backs, and that has been proven in recent years.

I bet Terrell Davis wonders how much longer his career would have lasted if O'Shanny had not run him into the dirt.

What? He tore his knee up after trying to make a tackle on an INT.

[Cutler2Marshall]

We dont need an every down back we need a rushing tandem like jacksonvilles

the key to success in our run game will be how close we can get to a rushing team like jacksonville. neither drew or taylor relies soley on speed they rely on power as well. we dont have 1 back on our roster right now that can say they have both speed and power. its the whole reason we run this stupid committe thing.


I have my own feelings about who i feel is the best back on our roster, but

Henry cant block for crap and lacks speed but has power, the same for bell he lacks breakaway speed but he can block and has power, Selvin has durability issues, cant block and has little power but has speed, hall is fast and has some power but is very raw he is lucky to even have a shot at playing and he is probally a decent 4th back on the depth chart not much more, but he was kept mostly for the return game. and torain and alridge are question marks.


they key for us would be to get 2 backs that rival each other in power and speed. Torain may be 1 but no one can know untill the season begins.
untill we get 2 guys that rival each other like jacksonville we will always do this comitte thing.



i can say that i dont think shanny is as high on this change of pace back like all the fans. i think he would rather want a guy that can carry consistently and move the chains and control the clock. change of pace backs dont do this they are suppose to be explosive playmakers. the only explosive playmaker i see that is a RB on our roster right now is alridge, but it remains to be seen if he can even make the transition to the nfl!!!!


i really dont think shanny cares about 50 yd runs in one shot only to end up with a field goal, as much as if we roll 8 minutes of the clock on a 75 yd TD drive with power running

i like work horse bcks more because the stats r gawdy :rockon:

and in that 11-5 thing u have us actually losing a game to kansas city=ROFL!

[SM19]

Situational players tip opposing coaches off to your playcalling. It can be good to have backups who are specialists, and you need at least one quality backup to ease the load in today's NFL, but a starter who can do everything just gives you so much more flexibility. It is a big deal for a player to be an every-down back.

[sendacash]

What? He tore his knee up after trying to make a tackle on an INT.

Can we blame a lame duck Griese pass?


anyways, look what Dallas did with drafting Felix Jones with a first round pick. They already had a workhorse back in Marion Barber and now they add the speedster Jones to take advantadge of the defense once Barber and the o-line have worn them down.