Willis McGahee finding running room

In his final game of his 20s, Willis McGahee hardly looked a day older than 23.

For more than three quarters in Sunday's 29-24 loss to San Diego, McGahee wasn't just the Broncos' best offensive player. He was, for all intents and purposes, their only offensive player.

McGahee, who turns 30 on Oct. 21, two days before the Broncos' next game in his hometown of Miami, McGahee was responsible for 74 of the Broncos' 109 total yards in the first half.

When the game was over, McGahee had rushed for a season-high 125 yards (on 16 carries), his third time with more than 100 yards in four games. The last time McGahee rushed for more than 100 yards in back-to-back games, he was a 23-year-old rookie playing for the Buffalo Bills in 2004.

"I've got a lot to prove," McGahee said just before dashing out of the locker room Sunday night. "That's my desire. That's what I drive off of: People count me out. Keep counting me out."

That chip-on-shoulder mentality is clearly aimed at his previous employers (the Baltimore Ravens), and not at the Broncos' coaching staff that seems happy with him as the primary tailback, a role he assumed in the second week of the season after Knowshon Moreno was injured.

Moreno came back last week but has played primarily as the third-down back — or when McGahee needs a break. Moreno did not have a single carry Sunday against San Diego, though he did score on a 28-yard screen pass from

Tim Tebow in the fourth quarter.

McGahee, meanwhile, is showing the big-play ability that has been missing from the Broncos' running game for some time.

Against the Chargers, McGahee broke free for runs of 25, 17, 16, 12 and 28 yards. Six of McGahee's runs went for first downs — giving him more first downs on Sunday than any other Bronco, quarterbacks included.

"He's running downhill — fast — and he's breaking tackles. Us guys up front, we're happy with how he's playing," right guard Chris Kuper said. "It's obviously a joint effort with all of us, but he's obviously doing some things — if there's a guy free in the hole, he's making the move to make him miss, or he's able to run through him. You've got to put a couple bodies on him."

Kuper said the Broncos' run blocking has improved, but the team still has struggled to put together a balanced offense.

The Broncos rushed for 162 total yards but struggled to complete passes until late in the game. Sunday marked the first time the Broncos' offense accumulated more yards on the ground than in the air (113 passing). A combination of early drops and San Diego's tight defense made the Broncos wide receivers mostly obsolete.

Brandon Lloyd didn't catch his first pass until the final drive of the game, and

Eric Decker had only two catches, one for no gain and one for minus-4 yards.

"From what I heard — because I can't see it — they were just loading up the coverage and running a bunch of zone," Kuper said. "That's when we've got to pop more runs out and take pressure off the passing game."

Click here to order Willis McGahee’s proCane Rookie Card.


(denverpost.com)