Tatum Bell may play next week @KC after all (link)

[JimmyChoi]

I personally don't think he will play...

[killiansjmd]

Denver would be crazy to let Bell play in this game. Droughns is more than capable of carrying the load for them the rest of the season.
Why would they want to risk further injury to his shoulder???

[BrutallyHuge]

This is comparing apples and oranges.

Oranges are WAY better than apples.

[defianthart]

i think bell might come in to run a couple of plays but i dont think hes a viable choice to start, especially in the first round of playoffs

[wizbang]

I own Bell but he's on the bench for certain.

I don't think you can discount him for this week though. Shanny is testing him out for next season. He wants to see toughness. Also, don't discount the fumbling. That puts Shanny in a pretty desperate situation as he NEEDS to make the playoffs. Last week and the previous week showed how much potential Tatum has and with a playoff berth on the line this is not the time to rest a guy for good measure.

IMO Droughns is a somewhat risky play this week unless the tone on Tatum Bell changes in the next few days.

[Sixxgunn]

Doesn't Droughns have an injury as well?I'm thinking it might be wise to avoid the whole situation this week.I have Droughns,and I really wish I could play him with McGahee this week,but he just seems too risky in the playoffs.I'll have to go with McAllister or J.Jones against tougher defenses just to feel safe.

[Patsy Player]

I don't think benching a guy to prevent permanent damage to his shoulder is just "good measure."

He might surprise me.....but I don't expect him to carry the ball much if at all this weekend. Maybe next weekend.

[Ricky_Christ]

This is comparing apples and oranges.

Oranges are WAY better than apples.

You are SO wrong! Apples rock the casbah, buddy!

[wizbang]

I don't think benching a guy to prevent permanent damage to his shoulder is just "good measure."

You completely missed my point. I'm not a doctor, don't have any experience with shoulder injuries and have absolutely no idea what Bell is going through other than a few lines in a few articles so I made no inferrences there. My point that Shanny won't bench Bell for "good measure" means that if the doctors and Bell himself say he's a go then Shanahan will put him in the game.

That is not always the case as coaches often "play it safe" with a guy for other reasons (ie so that a RB contraversy will not develop or they have a playoff berth locked up and are willing to be cautous). Being tied for a playoff berth in a season where many feel Shanny has to at minimum make the playoffs to keep his job ALONG with Bell's amazing performance the past two weeks and Droughns fumble issues (and hand injury) essentially assures that if Bell can play he will.

I personally find it unlikely but then again I know squat about shoulder injuries in general and Bell's shoulder injury in particular.

[Dr. Duran Duran]

With all this arguing going on, I'm starting to miss the days when a healthy Terrell Davis ran the roost.