Providing Broncos running back Tatum Bell is healthy, and has a good week of practice and Mike Shanahan says so, he should start Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.
Those are little disclaimers, but Shanahan responded to questions about his running back position Monday with answers that brought more questions.
“If you get injured and you are out for a length of time and somebody comes in and plays better than you, then that person has the right to keep their job,” Shanahan said.
Bell entered last week ranked sixth in the NFL in rushing with 87.4 yards per game, but a turf toe problem on each foot forced him to miss the Broncos’ 31-20 victory Sunday at Pittsburgh.
In his stead, Mike Bell got his first NFL start but was held to 28 yards on 17 carries. Then again, the previous week, with Tatum Bell’s toes bothering him, Mike Bell came in and rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns in the second half against Indianapolis.
So did Mike Bell perform well enough to take the starting job away from Tatum Bell?
“It all depends on during the week how these guys practice, and the guys that practice well are going to play,” Shanahan said. “We have got a few guys that we think are capable of playing.”
Jake, Javon and starters
There might be a controversy at running back, but not at quarterback, where Jake Plummer has secured the job he never lost.
In his past two games, Plummer has thrown four touchdowns, three to Javon Walker, with no interceptions while leading the Broncos to a combined 62 points.
“Yes, Jake will start at Oakland, just like Tom Nalen will start at Oakland,” Shanahan said. “Don’t just say Jake. Javon will start in Oakland. Champ (Bailey) will start in Oakland.”
Offense vs. defense
Perhaps it’s time to reconsider. Through the first six games, all the buzz was how the defense was carrying the Broncos’ offense. Two shootouts later, the Broncos’ D ranks 15th in the NFL, allowing 321.0 yards per game, while offense is 17th, accumulating 314.1 yards a game.
OK, so yards were never what the Broncos’ defense was about. It was about points. And yes, the Broncos remain No. 1 in the NFL by allowing only 12.3 points per game.
“I don’t want to accept that bend-but-don’t-break,” Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams said after the Steelers game, in which his defense allowed 499 yards, but only 20 points. “I know this is the National Football League and every team has great athletes on offense. But we’re not going out there purposely trying to bend.”
The Broncos’ offense has climbed from 31st to 22nd in scoring the past two weeks and is averaging 17.6 points per game.
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com.
Chalk talk
Broncos reporter Mike Klis breaks down a strategic element from .
Question of the day: Why did the two 10-yard touchdown passes from Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer to receiver Javon Walker look so easy?
Point, counterpoint: For years, most fans hated the fade route on goal-to-go situations, as it always has been considered a last-resort, low-percentage play. Then along came Walker. His combination of size (6-feet-3, 209 pounds), strength, coordination (he can leap and catch at the same time) and hunger for the ball have made the fade nearly automatic for the Broncos. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, hailed for his effective schemes against the Bengals, Colts, Broncos and Seahawks last postseason, made a huge mistake Sunday by having cornerback Ike Taylor cover Walker one-on-one on the fade route. The Broncos didn’t even bother to disguise their intentions. After Walker couldn’t catch the first jumpball attempt in the first quarter, the Broncos went right back to it on the next play. He caught that one, and another on the opposite left side in the fourth quarter. Both touchdowns were from 10 yards – too far for a run and too dangerous for an underneath pass in traffic. The distance and receiver made the fade a no-brainer.
Future prospects: From now on, opponents probably won’t leave Walker alone with a corner on goal-to-go situations. Expect a safety to roll over for inside support and the corner to play off Walker’s outside shoulder. Then again, double teams open up more room for a running play, another receiving target and perhaps an inside slant to Walker.
– Mike Klis
EYE ON … The Raiders
DENVER AT OAKLAND, 2:05 p.m., Sunday
For the record: The Raiders are 2-6 after Monday night’s 16-0 loss at Seattle and are in last place in the AFC West.
Streaking: The Broncos have won three consecutive games at Oakland by a combined score of 84-28. That is tied for the Broncos’ longest winning streak at Oakland. They also did it from 1998-2000. Denver has shut out the Raiders in eight of the past 10 quarters at Oakland.
Who’s hot: The Raiders’ defense appeared much improved, even after the defeat at Seattle.
Who’s not: Even though he is nearly 100 percent recovered from a shoulder injury, quarterback Aaron Brooks will have a difficult time prying the starting job away from Andrew Walter. The Grand Junction High School alum hasn’t been great, but the team appears to believe in him more than in Brooks.
Key stat: The Broncos have won four consecutive AFC West games dating to last season and have allowed an average of 4.8 points in those games. Two of those games came against Oakland. The Raiders scored three points in each game.
FYI: The Oakland game begins a stretch of three consecutive division games for the Broncos, the first such streak since 2001.
Coachspeak: “I like Tom Walsh. Tom Walsh has been with me for a long time. I like what he does. Everybody criticizes the guy, but the guy is a very smart guy. The guy knows exactly what he’s doing.” – Oakland coach Art Shell, to the San Francisco Chronicle, defending his oft-criticized offensive coordinator
– Bill Williamson
