Broncos will keep Willis McGahee busy

Q: Do you think tailback Willis McGahee can hold up if Knowshon Moreno misses more playing time?
A: The Broncos certainly hope so. A hamstring injury, which Moreno has, is difficult to recover from quickly.

Moreno didn't practice last week, missed the Cincinnati game and isn't expected to be full speed this week.

McGahee, now in his ninth NFL season, rushed for 101 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries Sunday, helping the Broncos beat the Bengals 24-22 in Denver. That was McGahee's first 100-yard game since the 2009 regular-season finale, when he was with the Ravens. It was the most carries McGahee had since Dec. 16, 2007, when he gained 104 yards on 29 carries against the Dolphins.

"I feel good. I'm taking care of myself," McGahee said after Sunday's game. "I could carry it as many times as they needed me to carry it. I'll be sore, maybe a little bit, but you're sore in this league whether you get 10 carries or 25 carries."

McGahee turns 30 on Oct. 20, and the statistics for most running backs after their 30th birthday aren't pretty. But some backs, including the Chiefs' Thomas Jones, have shown they can contribute after turning 30.

Giving 25 or more carries to McGahee week after week would be a lot to ask of him. And that would beat up the Broncos' best option in short-yardage and goal-line situations. They likely will work

Lance Ball into the mix more. Ball gained 28 yards on six carries Sunday, including a 17-yard gallop — the Broncos' longest run of the game. They also may give some carries to Jeremiah Johnson and to fullback Spencer Larsen while waiting for Moreno to return.

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(denverpost.com)