Horse Tracks: Competition is always good

With news breaking this weekend that C.J. Anderson and Montee Ball were splitting first team reps at running back, it begs the question whether the starting gig is Anderson's to lose. The question I pondered was which player best fits the new zone blocking scheme that Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak is implementing?

Both running backs are really good at breaking tackles and getting yards after first contact, but because C.J. Anderson had such a stellar late season run it seems the fan base has mostly given up on Ball's chances. We forget how terrible the offensive line was early in 2014 when it came to the run game. It took a major shake up along the offensive line to fix those issues by midseason, yet by then Ball was done for the year and Anderson was reaping the rewards of the changes to the offensive line.

I for one will be celebrating this competition as it will reveal to Kubiak which player has the vision and decisiveness to take the reins at the starting position. I'm just glad Ball is getting a chance to earn his way back, but like most of Broncos Country, I'm secretly hoping to see more of those amazing runs from C.J. in 2015 that left us all in awe late last year.

What do you all think?

Horse Tracks

Defensive transition largely dependent on understanding personnel | DenverBroncos.com
A large part of the defense's transition to prepare for the 2015 season has been understanding personnel, and though it's far from a finished product, Wade Phillips is proud of the first steps.

Veteran Colquitt chooses to lead by example | DenverBroncos.com
Punter Britton Colquitt brings years of experience to the Broncos special teams unit.

Rotating at nose tackle, Darian Stewart at first-team safety | DenverBroncos.com
Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips also plans to turn Von Miller loose and give Bradley Roby some looks at safety in the weeks to come.

Observations from NFL's first full week of OTAs include Peyton, Peterson | USA Today
Important context to the Denver Broncos' loss of Pro Bowl left tackle Ryan Clady for the season: quarterback Peyton Manning is, in many ways, his own pass protection.

Steven Johnson a "Mike" fit in Broncos' 3-4 defense | 9News
Steven Johnson wasn't necessarily raised to be a Denver Bronco, even if he is pleased life worked out that way.

Punt-returning competition heats up for Broncos | Denver Post
The Broncos’ offensive line has garnered the most attention for its flux and position battles. But the competition is heating up elsewhere, too.

Bill Kollar wears passion on sleeve, bears any challenge | Denver Post
A little past 10 a.m. on Thursday, a few beads of sweat trickling off his forehead, Bill Kollar walks into the lobby at Broncos headquarters. He is there for an interview. He has been in front of the recorder before. He has a funny story about that.

Denver Broncos: 5 Players Whose Stock Is on the Rise After OTAs | Bleacher Report
The Denver Broncos have concluded the first round of organized team activities and have earned a break for the weekend, before they pick back up on Monday.

Gino Gradkowski the anchor of Denver's revamped O-line | Boston Herald
Peyton Manning will have four new offensive linemen working in front of him in 2015.

Remembering The Broncos: Top-5 Safeties - Mile High Huddle
Remembering the Broncos takes you on a trip down memory lane to chronicle the top-5 players at each position in franchise history.

Phillips Coaching To His Players' Strengths - Mile High Huddle
Wade Phillips' success as a defenisve coordinator stems from coaching to his players' strengths, rather than scheming a player out of posisiton.

What has Eagles quarterback Tim Tebow done to get better? | NJ.com
Tim Tebow, in a lengthy interview on the NovaCare Complex practice field after Thursday's OTA, used the word "improved'' and the phrase "get better'' over and over.

Bengals' Devon Still's daughter Leah has setback in fight against cancer - Denver Post
Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Devon Still is asking for prayers for his daughter, Leah, who's had a setback in her fight against cancer.