By Bill Williamson
Denver Post Staff Writer
Lenny Walls said he has dealt with difficultly all his life.
Being benched as a starter by the Broncos?
That he can handle.
“I’m disappointed, but what am I going to do?” Walls said Monday night after the Broncos beat Kansas City 30-10 and after Walls was benched as the starting right cornerback for rookie Darrent Williams.
“I’m going to deal with it because there’s nothing I can do about it,” Walls said. “I dealt with losing my dad at 5 years old because I couldn’t do anything about it. I dealt with being shot at, in my younger days, because I couldn’t do anything about it. I’ve had adversity all my life. I’ll just deal with this.”
Walls was on the field often against the Chiefs, and the Denver coaches were pleased with his performance. He was the nickel cornerback before veteran Champ Bailey left in the second quarter with a hamstring injury and played in base defense with Bailey out. If Bailey does not play Sunday at Jacksonville, Walls likely will play a lot.
Walls blames himself for losing his starting job to Williams, a newcomer Walls calls “my guy.”
“He’s playing good and I need to concentrate better,” Walls said. “I’ll get there.”
Saluting the crowd
Many thought the crowd Monday night at Invesco Field at Mile High was loudest in the history of the stadium, which opened in 2001. Broncos owner Pat Bowlen agreed.
“It was the loudest I heard it,” Bowlen said. “The crowd was over the top. The play of the team helped, but the fans were really into it.
“It started to shake like the old Mile High. It was nice to see.”
Bell makes progress
Backup tailback Tatum Bell looked good when he came in late in Monday’s game.
Bell, who overcame a sprained left ankle, had 47 yards on five carries, including a 24-yard run. He played behind starter Mike Anderson and Ron Dayne, but ended up with two more carries than Dayne.
“I just have to take advantage of my opportunities,” Bell said. “Mike is the starter, but when I get my chances, I have to go with it. I think I did that (against the Chiefs).”
Praise for Plummer
Former Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe was a sideline spectator Monday night.
An open critic of quarterback Jake Plummer, Sharpe said he liked what he saw from Plummer, who was 13-of-18 for 152 yards against the Chiefs.
“I loved what Jake did Monday night,” Sharpe said. “He really ran the offense well. It all comes down to the quarterback, and (Monday night) Jake was great.”
As for the CBS commentator, did being on the sideline again give Sharpe the itch to return to playing in the NFL?
“No, I’m done,” said Sharpe, who retired in the spring of 2004. “In a football aspect, I am complete. I have no desire to go back.”
Weather report
Sunday temperatures in Jacksonville are expected to be in the low 80s, with a 40 percent chance of rain in the forecast. The humidity is expected to be high, but not like what Denver dealt with Sept. 11 in Miami.
The Broncos are 2-10 in Florida games, including 0-2 in Jacksonville.
Footnotes
The Broncos didn’t work out any players Tuesday. … Matt Mauck, a former Denver quarterback, was promoted to the Titans’ active roster from their practice squad. … Kliff Kingsbury appears close to signing with the Jets’ practice squad.
Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-820-5450 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
