Courtney Brown passed the first test – now all that’s between him and an opening-day start is game day itself.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said Friday afternoon it will be a game-time decision whether the defensive lineman will be able to play in St. Louis on Sunday. Shanahan indicated the biggest factor will be how Brown’s surgically repaired left knee reacts to the turf at the Edward Jones Dome in pre-game warmups.
“We’ll take a look at him about two hours before the game and make a decision,” Shanahan said.
While Brown must make the pre-game grade, the fact he practiced all week is a positive. He had minor knee surgery Aug. 9 and missed the entire preseason. However, there were no setbacks for Brown all week in practice. He is listed as questionable on the injury report. If Brown doesn’t play, Kenard Lang, who started for Brown in the preseason, would make his first start for Denver. Lang came from Cleveland as a free agent in March.
Brown is the only Denver player listed as questionable on the injury report. Defensive tackle Gerard Warren, who dislocated his left big toe Aug. 5 and missed all of the preseason, is expected to play Sunday.
Still waiting
Shanahan has stuck to his plan of not telling anyone who his starting tailback will be. Shanahan said earlier in the week that no one would know, not even the players, until the appropriate time, likely game day.
“We still don’t know,” Tatum Bell said. “We’re all preparing to play.”
It appears Shanahan will choose either Mike Bell and Tatum Bell. Cedric Cobbs also could be in the mix for significant playing time. Mike Bell, an undrafted rookie free agent, started throughout the preseason. Tatum Bell is the only one of the three with significant NFL experience. Regardless of who starts, Shanahan is likely to use a tailback-by-committee approach similar to last season when Mike Anderson, Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne all got quality carries.
Throw the flag
Shanahan said he has been where Miami coach Nick Saban was Thursday night. The Dolphins missed out on a chance to challenge a Pittsburgh touchdown – replays showed the play would likely be reversed – because a late Saban challenge flag went unnoticed by the officials. Pittsburgh kicked the extra point before the challenge flag was noticed.
“I’ve had to run all the way down to the goal line before,” Shanahan said. “I’ve learned my lesson.”
House called
The agent for Dwayne Carswell said the player will work out Tuesday in Detroit as a tight end. Carswell was converted to offensive lineman in 2005 from tight end. Carswell, who was cut Sept. 2, played 12 seasons in Denver. The player his teammates called “House” came back after a near fatal auto accident last October.
Footnotes
Denver finished its workout indoors Friday after starting the practice in a pouring rain. To prepare for the noise of the dome, the team worked out in the early portion of practice with artificial crowd noise blasting them. … To help prepare for the early game – it begins at 11 a.m. Mountain time – the Broncos moved up practice one hour on Thursday. … Receiver Ashley Lelie, traded to Atlanta last month, is expected to make his Falcons’ debut Sunday at Carolina.
Staff writer Bill Williamson can be reached at 303-820-5450 or bwilliamson@denverpost.com.
