For the game Sunday against the Raiders, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan gambled that running back Selvin Young, who missed the previous week’s game at Chicago because of a knee injury, could make it through the game with only scant help from Travis Henry. With No. 3 tailback and kickoff returner Andre Hall out with an ankle injury, and punt returner Glenn Martinez also down with an ankle injury, Shanahan decided to dress Taylor Jacobs as the No. 4 receiver/backup kick returner instead of fullback/tailback Mike Bell. Broncos reporter Mike Klis analyzes that move:
The play: Young suffered an arm injury in the first half and had only seven carries. Henry said the knee injury that sidelined him the previous three games was only about 80 percent recovered. Henry carried the ball 15 times for a mere 3.3-yard average and fumbled once, then botched an exchange with quarterback Jay Cutler for another fumble, which was charged to Cutler.
Point/counterpoint: “Our plan going in was to not play Travis that much,” Shanahan said. “I thought that it might come back to haunt us, and it did. Maybe we should have dressed out another back, but with a couple guys injured on special teams, I decided not to go in that direction.”
Future prospects: Young and Hall likely will be listed as questionable for the game Sunday against Kansas City, so it appears the overall health of the Broncos’ tailback position depends on NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who is expected to rule on Henry’s drug-charge appeal today. If Henry receives a suspension, the Broncos’ tailback position is in flux. If Henry wins his appeal, the Broncos could receive a welcome jolt for the season’s final month.
