Denver RB

[The_Dude]

I have Droughns... benched

I have Q-tip... benched

I have Bell... benched

Man, am I ever getting tired of this crap. Just pick one and go with him... I don't care who it is, really Shanny, I don't!

*****
This ranting and raving as if Mike Shanahan actually reads the Cafe has been brought to you from the twisted mind of his Dudeness...

[josebach]

It certainly would make sense to use Droughns on first and second down, and in goal line situations, with the diminutive Griffin coming in as a change of pace. While we're speculating, Droughns is certainly the better start if only because he's more likely to carry inside the 10-yard line.

Use Griffin on 3rd downs only? I would not consider this go be a very good prediction at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if Griffin gets the start but splits carries until the more productive back emerges. Then after that, expect to see a disproportionate amount of carries from the back that did better at the beginning of the game. IMO

[Buckychudd]

I have Droughns... benched

I have Q-tip... benched

I have Bell... benched

Man, am I ever getting tired of this crap. Just pick one and go with him... I don't care who it is, really Shanny, I don't!

*****
This ranting and raving as if Mike Shanahan actually reads the Cafe has been brought to you from the twisted mind of his Dudeness...

At this point I would dump Bell unless you're in a keeper.

[The_Dude]

Thanks for the tip... I've been leaning to this for awhile, but needed a little nudge to make it happen...

[Hugh M. Griz]

One never quite knows what Shanahan's gonna do, making every Denver RB move a roll of the dice.

I think he wanted Bell to step up and take the job, but instead is butting heads with the youngster. Then he probably wanted Griffin to grab it and run with it (because Droughns, as mentioned above, provides value to the team in a returner/FB role). Hearst was nothing but insurance, and clearly isn't part of the picture.

My take: Q, if healthy, starts this weekend in what amounts to an audition for the No. 1 RB gig, with Droughns stepping in on short-yardage and goal-line stuff. Now, if Q succeeds and doesn't put the ball on the ground, he's back in action. If it goes poorly, then Shanny can make the switch to Droughns on merit without having to face media inquiry about Q losing his job because of injury. Bell lurks in the background, with a miraculous positive attitude change at midseason not beyond the realm of possibility.

Just my two coins, of course.

[biju]

It certainly would make sense to use Droughns on first and second down, and in goal line situations, with the diminutive Griffin coming in as a change of pace. While we're speculating, Droughns is certainly the better start if only because he's more likely to carry inside the 10-yard line.

Use Griffin on 3rd downs only? I would not consider this go be a very good prediction at all.

I wouldn't be surprised if Griffin gets the start but splits carries until the more productive back emerges. Then after that, expect to see a disproportionate amount of carries from the back that did better at the beginning of the game. IMO

Honestly I believe that Shanahan wouldn't allow someone to lose their starting position because of injury. Two weeks ago Griffin received the game ball after icing the game in the fourth quarter (I think he ran like 60 yards off 15 carries or something like that--I'm too lazy to look). Now there's certainly reason to suspect they'll use Droughns more as the fullback with touches to cause misdirection and get good 3rd and short carries. Also suspect that the fire is under Griffin's backside and he *needs* to have a good game to keep his starting position.

If he fails this week however I'd bet on seeing more of Droughns for the rest of the year.

[biju]

I think he ran like 60 yards off 15 carries or something like that--I'm too lazy to look.

Correction: make that 48 yards on 14 carries during the fourth quarter. That means during the first 3 quarters he had only 8 carries for only 18 yards. During the fourth quarter it looks like Droughns was used as a change of pace back with pretty decent results.