The NFL Network reports that Denver Broncos running back Willis McGahee will start in tonight’s game against the New York Jets, barring a setback to his hamstring injury in pregame warmups.

Knowshon Moreno is out, so Lance Ball will also get a fair share of carries.

So he’ll test it out, but the plan is McGahee will go. We’ll know for certain an hour before kickoff, which is three hours away.

Really?

Denver Broncos power rankings from around the web. Two in a row, baby. Through hell, high water, or 2-of-8 passing, the Broncos are relevant again… or are they? (Previous week’s ranking in parenthesis)

NFL.com: Not listed (25)
Tebow: 21st
Really, NFL? If you’re going to call the team Tebow, you might as well rename the league while you’re at it. Here’s how the Broncos fare in the Tebow Power Rankings elsewhere, folks.

ESPN: 19th (23)
We have to credit the Broncos for finding a way to win with Tim Tebow, even if it sets back the modern game. (Kuharsky)

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Denver Broncos vs. New York Jets Week 11 Preview

There were very, very few positives to be taken from the Denver Broncos‘ 2010 4-12 campaign. The league’s reigning sack king was lost for the year before the season began, Josh McDaniels brought Patriots-level espionage to the Rocky Mountains, and the Broncos struggled to put a competitive product out on the field any given week. It was the losingest season in franchise history.

But for one game in 2010 — one near-glorious “Orange Sunday” — the Broncos played well. In fact, they played extremely well. For one game, the 2-3 Broncos went toe-to-toe with a better opponent, the 4-1 New York Jets, and matched them punch for punch. They rattled quarterback Mark Sanchez most of the game, forced three turnovers, and were a fourth quarter defensive stop from a victory that could have turned their season around.

Then Broncos safety Renaldo Hill did this:

Denver Broncos defender Renaldo Hill is called for pass interference pulling on the face mask of New York Jets' wide receiver Santonio Holmes during the fourth quarter of play Sunday October 17, 2010 at Invesco Field at Mile High. Photo by Joe Amon, The Denver Post

A gentle tug of a facemask. He and Santonio Holmes intertwined and fell into one another, but Hill’s unfortunate finger placement resulted in a 46-yard pass interference penalty that gave the Jets the football on the two-yard line.

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Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow calls running back Lance Ball a "powerful runner."Â (Image courtesy of Dave Kaup/Reuters)

Fantasy Football owners take note, with starter Willis McGahee recovering from a strained hamstring, Denver may give third year back Lance Ball the start at tailback tomorrow night against the Jets’ run defense that has allowed 16.7 points a game to backs this season and 1,044 yards on the ground.

McGahee has been limited in practice in back-to-back days and Coach John Fox noted that he is on a “day-to-day” status.  If McGahee cannot go, Ball will get the first start of his career.

A player who we’ve highlighted for his phenomenal effort, Ball is eager for the opportunity.

“The guy is hungry,” said Eric Studesville​, the Broncos’ running backs coach. “He knows the window of opportunity for him might be small, and you’ve got to be ready for it when it’s there. Since I’ve been here, whatever opportunity has opened up he’s made the most of it.”

In nine games this season, Ball has rushed 55 times for 227 yards (4.1 average) and added six catches for thirty more yards and a score.  In a bowling game, knocking down ten pins counts as a strike.  On Thursday evening, Ball will look to roll through eleven New York defenders for a score.

With Knowshon Moreno on injured reserve, recently activated running back Jeremiah Johnson will be Denver’s reserve back against the Jets.  Johnson has experience with the option from his college days at Oregon.

As of now it looks like Ball will see a heavy dose of carries even if McGahee is ready to play.  If you’re in need of a third flex-back in fantasy football, Ball seems like a safe option.

Dennis Allen, Defensive Coordinator of the Denver Broncos directs the defense during training camp at the Paul D. Bowlen Memorial Broncos Centre at Dove Valley on July 28, 2011 in Englewood, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

If fans got to vote for coaches to represent the AFC and NFC in the NFL’s Annual All Star game, Denver’s Dennis Allen would the be front runner for defensive coordinator in our book.

The Saints’ secondary coach last season, Allen was hired by the Broncos last the offseason in hopes that he would turn around their less than formidable defense.  Under Allen, the Denver’s ‘D’ has gone from dead last in 2010 to middle of the pack in 2011.

Last season, the Broncos allowed 390.8 yards per game (32nd).  Through nine games this season, the Broncos have allowed 360.7 yards per game (18th).

The return of Pro Bowl pass rusher Elvis Dumervil and arrival of rookie linebacker Von Miller came at a good time for Allen, whose aggressive defense has recorded 24.0 sacks this season (9th).  In 2010, the Broncos recorded 23.0 sacks in sixteen games (32nd).

Confusing offensive lines, Denver has installed complex blitz packages that have resulted in four sacks coming from the secondary.  The increased pressure has resulted in six interceptions (23rd), just four less than the team recorded in nearly half as many games last season (30th).

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Miller is on pace to break the rookie single season sack record. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

• Boy, we could get used to this.  Broncos’ quarterback Tim Tebow and rookie linebacker Von Miller have again been nominated for weekly awards on NFL.com.  Tebow for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the week and Miller for Rookie of the Week.  Vote for Tebow here and Miller here.  [NFL.com]

• It sounds like Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson will not be able to play on Thursday when Denver hosts New York for the second consecutive year.  [@benshpige]

• Meanwhile, if Jets receivers Jeremy Kerley and Patrick Turner are not able to play after missing practice Tuesday, former Broncos receiver Eron Riley will become the Jets’ #3 receiver.  [Jets Injury Report]

• Broncos running back Willis McGahee is “iffy” to play Thursday after not participating in individual drills in the portion of the Broncos practice that was open to the media Tuesday.  [Denver Post]

• ESPN’s First Take crew recently debated if Tebow is proving that he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL, watch the argument here.  [ESPN]

• New York cornerback Darrell Revis is not sold on the Broncos option/run heavy offense, noting “we know what they’re doing. And we feel comfortable in our game plan.”  [New York Daily News]

• Reporter Jeff Darlington spent Monday going over film with John Fox and came away with a great read which went live on NFL.com this morning.  Among the quotes we love: “Do whatever the hell it takes,” Fox laughed. “I mean, what the hell? You don’t get points for style in this league.”

Quarterback Tim Tebow #15 of the Denver Broncos hands off to Lance Ball during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs on November 13, 2011 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Ima

Following a game in which the Broncos’ run-to-pass ratio was about 85-to-15 percent, you would probably think their game plan was anything but creative.  It appears to have simply been, run (and then run again and again and again).

But it’s the way Denver ran the ball on Sunday that impressed me.  The Broncos’ offensive line flat out man handled Kansas City’s defensive line (blowing the Chief’s off of the line of scrimmage), allowing Denver to play power football.

The Broncos coaching staff prepared Denver’s offense and helped them keep Kansas City’s defense on their toes by mixing in creative plays with power plays, resulting in Denver running the ball down KC’s throat.  About fourteen minutes into the first quarter, the Broncos ran a triple option play — a common play at the collegiate level that is rarely seen in the NFL.

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Broncos runningback Jeremiah Johnson #37 rushes for a touchdown in Dallas. NFL pre-season 2011.

Off to a strong start after losing Willis McGahee to injury early Knowshon Moreno went down with what was originally thought to be a knee sprain.  After MRI results returned Monday the news got much worse for the struggling 3rd year runningback.  Moreno has a torn ACL in his right knee after an awkard landing yesterday in Kansas City.  The team has placed him on the IR and activated Jeremiah Johnson from the practice squad.  Some were eluding to interesting thoughts on who the Broncos would add to the roster to re-bolster tailback depth.  Such as kicking the tires on Correll Buckhalter for a 3rd season in the Mile High city.  Looks like Fox and company plan to go with youth in Johnson.  Hopefully “the next man up” can fill in and keep this team’s running game playing at a high level.

One has to wonder if Moreno’s days are done in Denver.  3 years in the league and a high first round pick Knowshon has only accumulated 1905 yards, never had a rush of 50+ yards, and can probably be summarized as a passing down back.  His rookie contract has to look like an anchor on the books for the front office and you can speculate if he will be released for a free agent back like Brandon Jacobs in the off-season.  

Broncos 17, Chiefs 10 — a hard-fought, rare win in Arrowhead Stadium is worth a lot of game balls, but we only have a handful to give out. Let’s do that, BTer’s.

Mike McCoy

The emergence of the Broncos’ option offense is a direct result of offensive coordinator Mike McCoy doing what so many thought would be impossible for a professional NFL team: molding an offense to the strengths of quarterback Tim Tebow.

But it wasn’t just the strengths of Tim Tebow that McCoy saw needed emphasizing: the entire offense was due with an overhaul after they surrendered 13 sacks in Tebow’s first two starts. Enter the option, and a run-play ratio of 55:8. The players have bought in. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Willis McGahee: all smiles despite the injury Sunday. (REUTERS photo/Dave Kaup)

The Denver Broncos lost both running backs Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno in the opening minutes of Sunday’s 17-10 victory in Kansas City, but that didn’t stop Lance Ball and Tim Tebow from combining for 139 rushing yards anyway.

Moreno suffered a “mild knee sprain”, ProFootballTalk reports, while no update is yet available on McGahee, who suffered a hamstring injury. Moreno was carted off the field while McGahee stayed on the sideline most of the game, so it’s possible these Broncos will be ready sooner rather than later.

But will “sooner” be soon enough? The Broncos face the New York Jets in four days on Thursday night. Let’s hope these injuries are mild indeed.

Knowshon Moreno is believed to have “mild sprain” of knee [ProFootballTalk]